Cathleen Isabel Getty

Cathleen Isabel Getty, 86, of Seattle, Washington, and formerly of Buffalo, New York, passed away on January 27, 2024 in Seattle, following a lengthy battle with dementia.

Cathleen was born on April 21, 1937 to Mary Rose Krall and Robert Wesley Getty in Chicago, Illinois, living her formative years with family in Ely, Minnesota. The family later moved to Torrance, California where Cathleen graduated from Gardena High School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1960. While at UCLA, Cathleen also served in the United States Army, being honorably discharged in 1961. She then earned her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of California at San Francisco in 1964.

Following her bachelor’s degree, Cathleen worked as a staff nurse at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY and at the University of California Neuropsychiatric Institute in Los Angeles. Following her graduate degree, she worked as a psychiatric and mental health consultant and instructor in the Bay area, most notably at the Graduate Psychiatric Nursing Program at UCSF.

In 1968, Cathleen joined the nursing faculty at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. There she taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in psychiatric nursing. She served as director of the graduate psychiatric/mental health program for over 30 years. In 1971, Cathleen received the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Member Award from students and faculty. She is the co-editor of “Understanding the Family: Stress and Change in American Family Life”. Over her distinguished academic career, she published over ten articles or chapters, was awarded five grants, and presented at no less than 16 conferences.

After over 30 years, Cathleen retired from SUNY Buffalo, and in 2007 moved to Seattle to be close to her daughter. Cathleen was an avid environmental, civil, and voting rights advocate who loved to read, spend time in bookstores, watch movies and political news shows, listen to music and NPR, try new restaurants and chocolate shops, visit and correspond with friends and family via letters and very sturdily wrapped care packages.

Cathleen was preceded in death by sisters Joanne Rogers, Colleen Grant, Marguerite Meadows, and Charlotte McAuley. She is survived by brother Robert Getty and daughter Gwen McCullough.

A graveside service will be held at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on February 13, 2024 at 12:30pm.

A celebration of life will be held on Cathleen’s birthday at The Terrace at Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York, on April 21, 2024 at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to:
The Nature Conservancy
The Alzheimer's Association
The American Civil Liberties Union, or
Your Local Food Bank