Cathy Louise Reed (ne Ruch) passed away on July 21, 2016 after a brave battle with cancer that lasted nearly a year. She was surrounded by family and supported by loving friendsnew, old and life-longuntil the moment of her passing. Cathy was born on March 5, 1959 in Allentown, PA to Weston Heylin Ruch, Jr. and Betty Lou Ruch (ne Lehr), to whom she was very close. Growing up, she enjoyed many fun-filled summers and weekends playing outdoors with her brothers at their maternal grandparents' home in Kuhnsville, PA. Cathy excelled at playing the violin as a child and became a lover of music of various genres. She started working full-time at a young age and was admired throughout her life for her unwaveringly strong work ethic. Cathy had two children, and for most of their childhood she was a single motheroften juggling two and even three jobs to provide for them. She loved to garden, care for her beloved pets (she always welcomed dogs into her home, including strays and pets given as gifts), make Pennsylvania Dutch foods for her family, and engage in political debates about current events. Throughout the last decades of her life she was employed as an administrative assistant at different levels in the medical field. Most recently, she worked as a Specialty Practice Manager at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown. In addition to her many friends, she is survived by her two children, Amy Reed-Sandoval and Richard Allen Reed, Jr., two brothers, Weston Ruch III and Timothy Ruch, sisters-in-law Georgine Ruch and Kathy Ruch, her nephew Timothy Ryan Ruch, and, perhaps most importantly of all, her cherished little Maltese, Alice. In accordance with her wishes there will be a private service for family to honor Cathy's life.