Lucy Catherine Parrish Slocum

            Lucy Catherine “Cathy” Parrish Slocum, 88, went to be with the Lord on March 7, 2019 at Farrington House Assisted Living Facility in Merritt Island, Florida.  A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Titusville, Florida.  All who knew her say the same thing:  Cathy served those around her in Christian love. 

            Cathy was born on February 27, 1931 in Perry, Florida, the daughter of Paul Parrish and Marie McCaskill Parrish.  She grew up in Gainesville, Florida, and completed high school at the PK Younge Developmental Research School located on the University of Florida campus.  Cathy had many fond memories of spending summers with her Aunt Catherine Clark in Scarsdale, New York, and watching her young cousins Hal and Mandy Clark. 

Cathy worked for the United States Navy as a civilian at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and eventually worked for the Air Force as a civilian in Orlando, Florida.  She then moved to Titusville where she spent the remainder of her career at Kennedy Space Center, working for NASA in the field of Logistics for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and many other important programs.

She married Tom Savage in Gainesville, Florida in 1959.  Her first son Thomas Savage was born in 1960 and her second son Paul was born nine years later.  She and Tom Savage divorced in 1973 and was later married to Malcolm Slocum until his death in 2014.  Her ability to balance an important job at NASA, care for two sons, serve the role of wife and mother, all while juggling Church work was a wonder to behold!  In addition to and during all of this, she completed a degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida.    

When she first came to Titusville in the early years of the Space Program, she helped plant St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Titusville, after holding initial meetings and services in the Titusville YMCA.  She served at St. Luke’s as an Elder for decades, as well as in many other roles placing her in the center of church business and administering to those in need.  She helped others at every turn, both officially through the Church, and on her own, even providing “instant Christmas” when a family was financially unable to purchase a Christmas tree and presents.  Cathy visited those in the hospital and put on countless receptions and memorial services at the Church over the years.

Cathy later joined the First Presbyterian Church of Titusville on South Park Avenue.  There she continued to serve, particularly by hosting memorial receptions at the Church.  She was recognized by the Church as Presbyterian Woman of the Year for her service.  Cathy was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  

            Until she was physically unable to do so, Cathy hosted sumptuous Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for her family at her house in Windover Farms in Titusville.  Long after her two sons were grown men, and her health challenges increased, she never relinquished her role as doting mother, and remained a constant loving presence in their lives.   Cathy never went to sleep before praying for the protection of her family and those she knew.  She eventually moved to the Courtenay Springs retirement community in Merritt Island, and then to the Farrington House Assisted Living group home also in Merritt Island.

Even as her health declined at Courtenay Springs retirement community, she continued to express concern for others by helping and visiting other residents in their time of need.  When her mobility was most limited at Farrington House, God still had a ministry for her:  she led the prayer for the other residents at every meal, thanking God for what He had provided, and reassuring Him that she and the others were still in His service, doing their best with what they had. 

            Cathy is survived by her two sons, Tom and Paul, and three grandchildren, Tom’s son Tommy Savage, and Paul’s daughter Caitlin Savage and son Luke Savage.  

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to:

First Presbyterian Church of Titusville

1235 S. Park Avenue, Titusville, Florida 32780

or

Candlelighters of Brevard, Inc. (Charity for Children with Cancer)

http://candlelightersofbrevard.org/

436 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1

Indialantic, Florida 32903

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.