Catherine J. Farmer

Catherine Jo (Etter) Farmer returned to her heavenly home on Thursday December 18, 2025, surrounded by her children and husband at Cedarhurst in Frankfort, IL. She was 71 years old. She was diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Dementia in 2019, and fought the disease gracefully. Cathy was born in South Bend, Indiana on August 2, 1954 to Roger A. Etter and V. Jane (Craig) Etter. Growing up she enjoyed spending time with her parents, brother Craig, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Her family would move to Elkhart, Indiana and she graduated from Elkhart High School in 1972. After high school, Cathy attended Purdue University and earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. While there, she fell in love with being a Boilermaker. She spent time with her sorority sisters and loved

all of the Purdue traditions. After graduating in 1976, Cathy taught for one year in Elkhart, Indiana. During that time as a first year teacher she would attend the wedding of her cousin Steve Kruse on June 5,1976, where she would meet Terry Farmer. Cathy instantly knew that Terry was her soulmate and before long they would plan to marry on July 9, 1977. After their wedding, Terry and Cathy moved to Davis County on a family farm while they worked on the house they would call home. Petersburg would be the perfect pick because Cathy was hired as a teacher at Petersburg Elementary and they both had strong family ties to the small Indiana town. Together they raised 3 children Jason, Nathan and Lindsay. Cathy loved being a wife, mother, daughter and teacher. Her time in Petersburg was filled with making memories with her family and being known as Mrs. Farmer. She would spend 40 years impacting the lives of thousands of 2nd graders. During this time she earned her Masters degree from Indiana State University. She was a member of White River Chapel of Petersburg where she actively participated in so many ways to share the love of Jesus. She was baptized with her mother Jane and daughter Lindsay on May 23, 2004.

Cathy impacted everyone she met. She found joy in the darkness. She loved her family, her dear friends at Petersburg Elementary and every single student to walk through her classroom door. Cathy Farmer knew what it meant to walk like Jesus. Her smile instantly brightened the room. She went out of her way to show that she cared deeply about you. She was made to be a teacher and spent her life fighting for what was best for kids. This love for children only grew when she became a grandma. She loved her grandchildren fiercely. You could not find a bigger smile than the one on her face when she was with them.

Cathy is survived by her husband Terry W. Farmer: Children Jason T. Farmer (Michelle): Nathan W. Farmer (Kaci): Lindsay J. Farmer (Erin): Her mother V. Jane (Craig) Etter: Grandchildren Danny, Emma, Charlotte (Jason) Farmer: Jaxon, Maddux, Issac, Landry (Nathan) Farmer: Eleanor, Olivia (Lindsay) Farmer. Additional survivors include her cousin Paul W Kruse (Donna) and many special nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased in death by her father Roger A. Etter, brother Craig A. Etter, Uncle Vernice W.H. and Aunt Norma Lee (Craig) Kruse, grandparents William T. and Cleda (Sutton) Craig, Lewis A and Marie (Fox) Etter, Cousin Stephen K. Kruse and Sister in Law Teresa N. (Farmer) Kruse, Sister in Law Pamela (Farmer) Dinkens.

A private family service will be held at Harris Funeral Home with burial at Walnut Hill Cemetery, Petersburg, Indiana.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2025 at Petersburg Elementary to enjoy the life and legacy of Mrs. Farmer. All are welcome to share memories, stories and the joy Cathy brought to so many. Details including time to be announced at a later date.

Donations in Cathy's honor are welcome to support the Catherine J. Farmer Memorial Scholarship at https://bit.ly/CatherineJFarmerMemorialScholarship.

You can also make a donation to the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration on her behalf at https://www.theaftd.org/.