Cathy Ann Harrison

Cathy Ann Harrison (née Knecht), of Mason, Ohio, passed away peacefully at home on January 10, 2026, after an 18-month battle with Merkel cell carcinoma. She was surrounded by her family. She was 64 years old.

Born in Akron and raised in Copley, Ohio, Cathy was a proud graduate of Copley High School, where her dedication to academics led her to graduate a year early. As a child, she was a longtime member of the First Assembly of God Church of Akron, which she attended with her grandparents. Through the church, Cathy traveled throughout the United States as part of its youth choir, Joy Delegation.

Cathy’s grandmother, Alvertia “Bertha” Hollen, was a particularly important figure in her life, instilling in her a love of cooking and baking. Cathy cherished traveling with her grandparents, attending Big Prairie Camp with them, and staying overnight at their home, especially when a thunderstorm was expected in the evening.

Growing up, Cathy’s family traveled across the United States, piling into a camper and journeying coast to coast. In a memorable twist on camping, Cathy’s mother would prepare a full roast beef in the camper’s oven so that when the family pulled into the next KOA, dinner was ready as soon as they parked.

After graduating early from high school, Cathy went on to study criminal justice at Bowling Green State University. While there, she was an active member of student government, served as a resident advisor, and completed an internship conducting home visits with local students struggling with school attendance. Her involvement in student government would prove especially meaningful, as the person who interviewed her for her first role would later become her husband of 41 years, William “Andy” Harrison.

Following college, Cathy worked in a variety of roles, including as a bank teller, bakery employee, customer service agent at Kings Island, and owner of her own home cleaning business. Her most meaningful professional experiences, however, were as an ESL tutor at Middletown High School and as a longtime substitute teacher with Mason City Schools.

Cathy’s most personal and cherished roles were those of wife, mother, aunt, and, most recently, Nana to her two grandchildren. Cathy and Andy were married in May 1984 and built a beautiful life together. After the heartbreaking loss of their firstborn son, Adam, in 1985, they went on to raise three children: Jordan, Hannah, and Luke. Cathy especially loved decorating for Christmas, her favorite holiday, having her children home with her, traveling to Myrtle Beach and Lake Michigan, and spoiling her grandchildren at every opportunity. Memorable family trips included to Disneyland in California, Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, the beach and Disney World in Florida, and countless hours in the car listening to Christmas music traveling home to Ohio from wherever the family lived that year.

Outside of work and the home, Cathy was involved in the national organization Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS, now MomCo), whose mission is to connect and empower young mothers while cultivating their relationships with Christ. She helped organize church-based MOPS chapters in Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina, and previously served as a board member for the organization in Ohio.

She was a longtime member of Hope Church in Mason, where she and Andy hosted small-group Bible studies in their home, taught Bible school to kindergartners in the “Frogs” classroom, hosted international students transitioning to life in the United States, and encouraged their children’s involvement in youth ministries and mission trips. Outside of church, Cathy was an avid crafter and cross-stitcher, enjoyed attending craft shows with her husband, children, and friends, and made annual trips to the Sauerkraut Festival and Yankee Peddler.

To know Cathy was to know a woman of extraordinary love, openness, and generosity. She had a gift for connection, forming friendships wherever she went - at the nail salon, in a doctor’s office, or at home with the hospice aide who stayed long after a shift ended, talking and sharing stories from their lives. Her pride in her family was unwavering, and her faith was a steady foundation. She held close the chosen family of her children, embracing them, regardless of who they were or where they came from.

The final chapters of Cathy’s life were marked by complex medical challenges, including a liver transplant in the spring of 2021. Through the power of prayer and the miracles of modern medicine, she was granted five additional years with her family and loved ones. Cathy was grateful for the exceptional health care providers who cared for her, many of whom formed deep bonds with her and whose lives were touched by the same compassion they showed to her.

Cathy was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Betty Knecht; her son, Adam; and her father-in-law William Harrison. She is survived by her husband, Andy; her children, Jordan, Hannah (Matt Striet), and Luke; her grandchildren, Charlotte and Sullivan; her siblings, Shari (Mark Parker) and Robert (Patti); her mother-in-law, Marilyn Harrison; her sister-in-law, Mary Giordano; her stepmother-in-law Diana Harrison and her children Jen and Rob; and her nieces and nephews, Danielle, Aaron, Amber, Marissa, and Madeline.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Hope Church, 4934 Western Row Road, Mason, Ohio 45040, on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a service at 2:00 p.m. A private reception for family and close friends will follow the service.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to fund Merkel cell carcinoma research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center or to Cincinnati Top Soccer, an organization close to the family’s heart.