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- Coronado Eagle and Journal
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Catherine Crellin Garthwaite
Catherine Crellin Garthwaite (Cathie Bassett) August 7, 1919 - April 9, 2005
Every Christmas morning for more than 25 years, presents were handed out in many Coronado homes bearing delightful holiday-themed gift tags made by Cathie Bassett.
The tags were sold each year by the Crown Garden Club to raise money for decorated tabletop Christmas trees for the elderly and homebound.
Cathie Bassett died April 9 at her Coronado home at the age of 85.
Cathie Bassett's famous Christmas tags were made from old Christmas cards. Every year after the holidays, people would bring her their cards from the previous year. She would carefully choose and cut out part of each card's cover art (Santa, Christmas presents, religious images, etc.), then, using her own donated supplies and artistic flair, she would fashion beautiful gift tags in various sizes.
Making the tags was a year-round occupation for Cathie, and by the time the holiday season arrived, she had hundreds of tags packaged in hand-selected groups of twenty. Sales of the tags by the Garden Club raised enough money each year to provide decorated trees for dozens of deserving people around town. "Insiders" knew that to get the best selection, they could come to Cathie's home in October to take their pick.
Catherine Crellin Garthwaite was born in Oakland on August 7, 1919. Her mother, Alice Crellin, came from one of Oakland's founding families. Her father, Wymond "Jimmy" Garthwaite, was a noted children's author and radio personality in San Francisco. She attended the Anna Head School for Girls, and graduated from the University of California - Berkeley in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in art. She was a member of Alpha Phi sorority.
In 1943, Cathie married Leonard Flournoy Bassett, then an ensign in the United States Navy. Over Leonard's thirty year naval career, Cathie served as the quintessential Navy officer's wife, mother and hostess, regularly moving herself and the family's two daughters across the country, and throwing many elegant cocktail parties, receptions and dinners.
The couple settled permanently in Coronado in 1961, and soon afterwards Cathie joined the Crown Garden Club. Cathie was an accomplished flower arranger, and won many blue ribbons and awards at the annual Coronado Flower Show, particularly for her miniature arrangements. In addition to her work with the Garden Club, Cathie also enjoyed playing golf and mah-jongg with a group of her friends.
Cathie's generosity and love of a good joke were well known to her family and friends. Her contagious laughter and warm sense of humor lifted the spirits of everyone with whom she came in contact.
Cathie Bassett is survived by her husband of 61 years, Captain Leonard F. Bassett; daughter Ann and son-in-law Bob Hite of Basalt, Colorado; and daughter Cee Cee and son-in-law Emile Barrios of San Diego.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Crown Garden Club, earmarked for the annual Christmas tree fund to continue Cathie's wish to bring a bit of joy to all at Christmas time.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1919 - 2005 (85 years)