Cathy Wetzel

Cathy Ann Wetzel, an inspirational English teacher, and talented interior designer, born in Biloxi, MS, March 27, 1951, made an unexpected trip to heaven on April 14, 2021. She was a lifelong resident of Biloxi. She worked at Howard Memorial Hospital in medical records and taught English at Sacred Heart Girls High School, Mercy Cross High School and Biloxi High School after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

While at Biloxi High School, she pioneered the creative writing curriculum and taught English and writing until her retirement. She possessed a wit (“I had to kill Julius Caesar 25 times before I could retire”) and a talent for motivating and inspiring her students to create expressive and impactful stories.  Perhaps more importantly, she cared deeply about the lives of her students and was committed to helping them build interpersonal skills that would benefit them well beyond her years. She was a cherished confidant and friend to many.

Cathy's greatest achievement is her family.  She is survived by her two sons, Dr. Raun Wetzel and Jonathan Wetzel who is currently attending medical school. She is also survived by Raun's wife, Victoria, (who she always claimed as her own daughter); her three grandchildren, Elias, Selah, and Shiloh; and her husband Joseph Wetzel, who was lucky enough to meet her on a blind date. Joe and Cathy fell madly in love on that date that has lasted 47 years.

Cathy enjoyed being a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority at USL and a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Biloxi. She Is preceded in death by her brother, Ronnie Mandis, her mother, Amelia Mandis, her father George, her favorite aunt, Ozaeh Trahan, and her parrain, Ray Bodin.

She will be missed by all who knew her, especially by family and close friends like Danny and Dr. Carol Viator who played many games of Balderdash with her at the kitchen table.  She will also be missed by those lucky enough to have played a game called "In-coming!!!" that was much like dodge ball but involved random pieces of fake fruit assigned to bowls around the kitchen.  If something was knocked over and destroyed, Cathy would tell only her grandchildren, "Not to worry, you're at Mamee's."  She enjoyed playing Pokeno with her sisterhood group and hanging out with her best friend, Sue McClure.

Heaven has just become a more beautifully decorated place, now filled with more love and humor than it had before. Words will always be incapable of capturing how much Cathy Wetzel is loved.

In lieu of flowers the family is asking for donations to be made in Cathy’s name to Feed My Sheep. http://feedmysheepgulfport.org

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m., Monday, April 19, 2021, at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 2090 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS, with the visitation for family and friends starting at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery.

RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Biloxi served the family.  An online obituary may be viewed, and memories shared at www.riemannfamily.com