Catherine Baum Stratford, a secretary in the office of religious education for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland who later became an activities coordinator at the former Father Hayes Center at St. Joseph Parish, died Thursday after a battle with dementia. She was 90.

Mrs. Stratford began working as a secretary for the diocese in 1970. She held the position for eight years, then became the activities coordinator at the Father Hayes Center, now known as St. Brigid School. She worked there for more than 20 years, retiring in 2001.

Mrs. Stratford had crystal blue eyes, porcelain skin and an infectious smile. Her daughter Maureen Connolly of Portland said she was kind, loving and cared about everyone.

“She was a woman of unconditional love,” Connolly said. “She loved everything and everyone and it didn’t matter. … She was the sweetest, kindest person.”

Mrs. Stratford had much to be thankful for. In 1942, she met Harold Baum, who would be her husband for 25 years. The couple raised six children. They moved to Portland in 1962.

Tragedy struck in 1971 when he died after a battle with Hodgkin’s disease. She became a widow at age 47 – left to raise their children, ranging in age from 12 to 23.

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“She was incredibly strong to make us who we are today. What a role model,” Connolly said, noting that her mother’s faith helped her through the difficult times. “She was an extremely pious woman. She did whatever she needed to be a wonderful wife, a wonderful mother, a wonderful friend and wonderful sister.”

She carried on both parental roles for seven years until she married her friend and companion Joseph Stratford in 1978.

Connolly reflected on their early years, saying she and her siblings always felt loved and supported.

“She taught us how to love and how to be compassionate. She was a living example of that,” Connolly said. “Her children, next to her faith, (were) the most important thing to her. If any of us needed her, she would do whatever she needed to help us.”

Connolly reminisced about the months she spent with her mom after the birth of her own children. Connolly laughed, recalling a conversation she had with her mother last Saturday.

“I joked with her. I said, ‘I don’t know if I ever thanked you for everything you did for me,’ ” Connolly said, chuckling. “She said, ‘You know, you really didn’t, but that’s OK. I’m your mom.’ She had this sweetness and kindness about her that kind of exuded from her.”

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Mrs. Stratford loved spending time with her grandchildren. She enjoyed going to yard sales and working in her garden.

She lived at Ocean View at Falmouth for nine years. About five or six years ago, she was diagnosed with dementia.

Most recently, she lived at The Highlands of Topsham. Connolly said she will miss talking to her mom and visiting her.

“I keep thinking she is with my dad now. He was the love of her life,” she said.

Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.com

Twitter: MelanieCreamer


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