Senior Volunteer Connection of South Central Georgia
In the News: Our Ms. Cathy
Published July 08, 2007 11:08 pm -
At Random: Cathy Gaddis
By Jessica Pope
After running into her at a local nursing home a few weeks ago, Dean Poling suggested
I consider Catheryn “Cathy” Gaddis for this, my third At Random feature. Because their
encounter was so brief, all he could really tell me was that she spent many hours
volunteering as a pet therapist with her beloved mixed terrier Tommy. I thought about
the subject matter for a couple of days, then made a telephone call to the local
Humane Society where an unidentified woman provided me Ms. Gaddis’ personal
contact information. I called her the week of June 25, explained my assignment and
was then invited to visit her in her home on McAfina Trail the following Friday morning. I
arrived around 9 a.m. and was greeted by a personable Ms. Gaddis, an enthusiastic
Tommy and a young, brindled American pit bull terrier, a temporary house guest with
energy to spare who eventually calmed down and found a resting spot next to my feet.
Initially, my conversation with Ms. Gaddis was centered on Tommy. However, as we
became more comfortable with each other, she let her hair down and began
introducing me to a side of herself I never would have imagined existed, a side filled
with axle grease and fast cars ... and even an oil painting or two. When I left Ms.
Gaddis’ home, it was after 11 a.m.. I was full of excitement and felt as if I had
discovered a hidden treasure, which in some ways was exactly what had happened. I
had a notepad full of details I never expected, and I was anxious to share them with
anyone who would listen
At Random: Cathy Gaddis
By Jessica Pope
After running into her at a local nursing home a few weeks ago, Dean Poling suggested
I consider Catheryn “Cathy” Gaddis for this, my third At Random feature. Because their
encounter was so brief, all he could really tell me was that she spent many hours
volunteering as a pet therapist with her beloved mixed terrier Tommy. I thought about
the subject matter for a couple of days, then made a telephone call to the local
Humane Society where an unidentified woman provided me Ms. Gaddis’ personal
contact information. I called her the week of June 25, explained my assignment and
was then invited to visit her in her home on McAfina Trail the following Friday morning. I
arrived around 9 a.m. and was greeted by a personable Ms. Gaddis, an enthusiastic
Tommy and a young, brindled American pit bull terrier, a temporary house guest with
energy to spare who eventually calmed down and found a resting spot next to my feet.
Initially, my conversation with Ms. Gaddis was centered on Tommy. However, as we
became more comfortable with each other, she let her hair down and began
introducing me to a side of herself I never would have imagined existed, a side filled
with axle grease and fast cars ... and even an oil painting or two. When I left Ms.
Gaddis’ home, it was after 11 a.m.. I was full of excitement and felt as if I had
discovered a hidden treasure, which in some ways was exactly what had happened. I
had a notepad full of details I never expected, and I was anxious to share them with
anyone who would listen
Cathy Gaddis shows off the
engine compartment of the
1966 Ford Fairlane 500 she’s
rebuilding alongside her
oldest son, Ken. She’s a
member of the South Georgia
Classic Car Club
engine compartment of the
1966 Ford Fairlane 500 she’s
rebuilding alongside her
oldest son, Ken. She’s a
member of the South Georgia
Classic Car Club
Sixty-year-old Catheryn “Cathy” Gaddis and her 5-year-old mixed terrier (part shih tzu, part lhasa apso and part
schnauzer) Tommy were the first in line when PetSmart opened its doors at the end of May 2006. Recalling the day, the
human half of this twosome admitted she might have been a tad bit overzealous about the opportunity to shop for toys
and treats as they ended up being more than a couple of hours early for the new Colonial Mall Valdosta store’s soft
opening.
“I can honestly say everyone at that store knows us now,” Gaddis said laughing. “We are regulars at that place. If I go in
there by myself, someone will stop and ask me about Tommy. They are so used to seeing us together.”
Gaddis considers Tommy her baby, her third and youngest son. Her oldest, 41-year-old Ken Gaddis, serves the United
States as an airman at Moody Air Force Base. Her youngest son, Jon Paul Gaddis, is 38 and lives in Perry, Okla., with his
wife and two daughters — Megan and Tarilyn Gaddis, ages 17 and 12 respectively.
“My sons and my 84-year-old mother who lives in Oklahoma City get really annoyed with me at times about Tommy,” she
added. “But I don’t care. He’s been my companion for more than five years. I love him. He loves me. That’s all that
matters.”
Born in Herlong, Calif., but raised in Oklahoma City, Okla., from the age of 3, Gaddis first laid eyes on Tommy when she
welcomed him into the world on Dec. 29, 2001. She was visiting a close friend when the friend’s dog went into labor. The
friend panicked, but Gaddis remained calm and assisted the first-time canine mother during the delivery. Over the course
of the next few weeks, she visited and cared for the puppies, growing more attached with each passing day to one in
particular.
“Tommy was the only one of the six puppies that really stood out to me,” she said. “I cannot put my finger on exactly what
it was about him that made me love him more, but something certainly caught my attention. To me, he was an original.”
When he was just four weeks old, Gaddis brought Tommy home to live with her. She allowed one of her granddaughters,
Tarilyn to be exact, to name him. However, she has been overheard on the rare occasion he chooses to misbehave
referring to him in a somewhat stern voice as Thomas.
“I remember my granddaughter telling me that he looked like a Tommy,” she said smiling. “I still don’t know what that
means. But what I do know is that God brought him into my life at just the right moment, at a time when I needed someone
to love me unconditionally, at a time when I needed someone who thought I was something special.”
Gaddis relished time spent with Tommy because he was non-threatening and nonjudgmental. He did not expect anything
from her and did not put pressure on her to do or say anything. Somewhat hyperactive at times, he was friendly and
present. He accepted her as she was at the time, as opposed to what she could be in the future. He needed her.
“There was a time when I would fix both me and Tommy a cup of coffee,” she said. “Of course, his would have more milk
than coffee. I don’t do that anymore. Now on occasion I will fix him scrambled eggs. We like to sit outside and listen to the
birds or read the newspaper or sing or visit the park. We enjoy whatever the day has to offer together.”
Three years ago Gaddis left Oklahoma City when her oldest son offered her the opportunity to live with him in Valdosta.
She accepted, seeing it as a chance to experience something new and different and potentially exciting. Registered with
Therapy Dogs Inc., she and Tommy spend their days — and sometimes nights — visiting young and old at the various
local hospitals, nursing homes, children’s homes and more. Tommy likes to wish everyone he encounters a tail-waggin’
day, according to his personal business cards.
schnauzer) Tommy were the first in line when PetSmart opened its doors at the end of May 2006. Recalling the day, the
human half of this twosome admitted she might have been a tad bit overzealous about the opportunity to shop for toys
and treats as they ended up being more than a couple of hours early for the new Colonial Mall Valdosta store’s soft
opening.
“I can honestly say everyone at that store knows us now,” Gaddis said laughing. “We are regulars at that place. If I go in
there by myself, someone will stop and ask me about Tommy. They are so used to seeing us together.”
Gaddis considers Tommy her baby, her third and youngest son. Her oldest, 41-year-old Ken Gaddis, serves the United
States as an airman at Moody Air Force Base. Her youngest son, Jon Paul Gaddis, is 38 and lives in Perry, Okla., with his
wife and two daughters — Megan and Tarilyn Gaddis, ages 17 and 12 respectively.
“My sons and my 84-year-old mother who lives in Oklahoma City get really annoyed with me at times about Tommy,” she
added. “But I don’t care. He’s been my companion for more than five years. I love him. He loves me. That’s all that
matters.”
Born in Herlong, Calif., but raised in Oklahoma City, Okla., from the age of 3, Gaddis first laid eyes on Tommy when she
welcomed him into the world on Dec. 29, 2001. She was visiting a close friend when the friend’s dog went into labor. The
friend panicked, but Gaddis remained calm and assisted the first-time canine mother during the delivery. Over the course
of the next few weeks, she visited and cared for the puppies, growing more attached with each passing day to one in
particular.
“Tommy was the only one of the six puppies that really stood out to me,” she said. “I cannot put my finger on exactly what
it was about him that made me love him more, but something certainly caught my attention. To me, he was an original.”
When he was just four weeks old, Gaddis brought Tommy home to live with her. She allowed one of her granddaughters,
Tarilyn to be exact, to name him. However, she has been overheard on the rare occasion he chooses to misbehave
referring to him in a somewhat stern voice as Thomas.
“I remember my granddaughter telling me that he looked like a Tommy,” she said smiling. “I still don’t know what that
means. But what I do know is that God brought him into my life at just the right moment, at a time when I needed someone
to love me unconditionally, at a time when I needed someone who thought I was something special.”
Gaddis relished time spent with Tommy because he was non-threatening and nonjudgmental. He did not expect anything
from her and did not put pressure on her to do or say anything. Somewhat hyperactive at times, he was friendly and
present. He accepted her as she was at the time, as opposed to what she could be in the future. He needed her.
“There was a time when I would fix both me and Tommy a cup of coffee,” she said. “Of course, his would have more milk
than coffee. I don’t do that anymore. Now on occasion I will fix him scrambled eggs. We like to sit outside and listen to the
birds or read the newspaper or sing or visit the park. We enjoy whatever the day has to offer together.”
Three years ago Gaddis left Oklahoma City when her oldest son offered her the opportunity to live with him in Valdosta.
She accepted, seeing it as a chance to experience something new and different and potentially exciting. Registered with
Therapy Dogs Inc., she and Tommy spend their days — and sometimes nights — visiting young and old at the various
local hospitals, nursing homes, children’s homes and more. Tommy likes to wish everyone he encounters a tail-waggin’
day, according to his personal business cards.
| "Because of Tommy my life, as well as the lives of so many others, has been changed for the better,” she said. “He has so much love to give.” |
Life in the Fast Lane
Gaddis first discovered a passion for automotive technology as a teenager growing up in Oklahoma City. The oldest of
three children born to a mother and father who both worked outside the home, she taught herself about automotive battery,
starting and charging systems; fuel, ignition and emission systems; electrical and electronic systems; brake systems;
suspension and steering systems; climate control systems; drivelines; and automatic and manual transmission diagnosis
and repair. She was a tomboy by all accounts — unafraid of getting a little dirt under her fingernails or killing a creepy
crawly bug — but still knew when to play the role of girlie girl.
“My family had a vehicle that broke down all the time,” she shared. “My father was not the least bit mechanically inclined, so I
was always the one who fixed things. I was the fixer in our house.”
Gaddis later attended a technical training school in Sulphur, Okla., where she received academic instruction, as well as
additional hands-on training, in her chosen field of automotive technology, studying a combination of automotive mechanics
theory and practical application. She went on to become the first female mechanic hired by Sears in Oklahoma City and the
first female mechanic hired by a Ford dealership in Edmond, Okla. All the while, she was busy raising two boys as a single
mother.
“That was all such a blessing,” she said.
On the side, Gaddis made a little extra money as a race car driver. She noted how her sons grew up around the circle track,
often working as her pit crew, watching their mother participate in a sport dominated by men at the time. She showed no fear
when her foot hit the accelerator. She was strong and confident. She was good behind the wheel. She knew what headers
were and what four-in-the-floor meant.
“I loved fast cars and racing back then,” she said. “I still do today. Growing up, it was my safety, my own little special world.
No one could hurt me on the circle track but me. Racing gives me such a natural high. When I get out of the car, I am so
elated I can hardly walk.”
Gaddis has raced everything from a 1959 Ford Skyliner to a 1965 Ford Galaxie to a 1986 Ford Bronco II. She considers
herself a lifetime member of the Ford family. She’s in the process of helping her oldest son, Ken, restore a 1966 Ford
Fairlane 500, which just might find its way onto the race track at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil. The mother and
son duo, as well as three friends, form The Pony Express Racing Team.
“I gave my son knowledge of racing and now I am part of a racing team with him,” she said, showing off a picture of herself
behind the wheel of a modified Ford Mustang. “Sometimes, however, I have a little trouble getting accepted as a true
member of the pit crew. That’s OK. It only makes me want to work harder and show those young guys what I can do. I don’t
give up so easily. Sometimes I might feel like I want to, but then I remember my purpose.”
Gaddis suffers from rheumatoid arthritis on the left side of her body, possibly due to decades of lifting engines out of cars
and trucks. She knows her body is not as strong as it once was, but she works really hard not to let anyone see her pain.
On the inside, she’s still the same spitfire she was growing up in Oklahoma and racing on the circle track and in the streets.
It’s the outside that keeps changing.
What you didn’t know
Three more things you don’t know about Catheryn Gaddis
She and Tommy plan to compete in the 2007 Hottest Dogs in the Park Contest
She recently discovered a hidden talent for oil painting
She meditates
Gaddis first discovered a passion for automotive technology as a teenager growing up in Oklahoma City. The oldest of
three children born to a mother and father who both worked outside the home, she taught herself about automotive battery,
starting and charging systems; fuel, ignition and emission systems; electrical and electronic systems; brake systems;
suspension and steering systems; climate control systems; drivelines; and automatic and manual transmission diagnosis
and repair. She was a tomboy by all accounts — unafraid of getting a little dirt under her fingernails or killing a creepy
crawly bug — but still knew when to play the role of girlie girl.
“My family had a vehicle that broke down all the time,” she shared. “My father was not the least bit mechanically inclined, so I
was always the one who fixed things. I was the fixer in our house.”
Gaddis later attended a technical training school in Sulphur, Okla., where she received academic instruction, as well as
additional hands-on training, in her chosen field of automotive technology, studying a combination of automotive mechanics
theory and practical application. She went on to become the first female mechanic hired by Sears in Oklahoma City and the
first female mechanic hired by a Ford dealership in Edmond, Okla. All the while, she was busy raising two boys as a single
mother.
“That was all such a blessing,” she said.
On the side, Gaddis made a little extra money as a race car driver. She noted how her sons grew up around the circle track,
often working as her pit crew, watching their mother participate in a sport dominated by men at the time. She showed no fear
when her foot hit the accelerator. She was strong and confident. She was good behind the wheel. She knew what headers
were and what four-in-the-floor meant.
“I loved fast cars and racing back then,” she said. “I still do today. Growing up, it was my safety, my own little special world.
No one could hurt me on the circle track but me. Racing gives me such a natural high. When I get out of the car, I am so
elated I can hardly walk.”
Gaddis has raced everything from a 1959 Ford Skyliner to a 1965 Ford Galaxie to a 1986 Ford Bronco II. She considers
herself a lifetime member of the Ford family. She’s in the process of helping her oldest son, Ken, restore a 1966 Ford
Fairlane 500, which just might find its way onto the race track at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil. The mother and
son duo, as well as three friends, form The Pony Express Racing Team.
“I gave my son knowledge of racing and now I am part of a racing team with him,” she said, showing off a picture of herself
behind the wheel of a modified Ford Mustang. “Sometimes, however, I have a little trouble getting accepted as a true
member of the pit crew. That’s OK. It only makes me want to work harder and show those young guys what I can do. I don’t
give up so easily. Sometimes I might feel like I want to, but then I remember my purpose.”
Gaddis suffers from rheumatoid arthritis on the left side of her body, possibly due to decades of lifting engines out of cars
and trucks. She knows her body is not as strong as it once was, but she works really hard not to let anyone see her pain.
On the inside, she’s still the same spitfire she was growing up in Oklahoma and racing on the circle track and in the streets.
It’s the outside that keeps changing.
What you didn’t know
Three more things you don’t know about Catheryn Gaddis
She and Tommy plan to compete in the 2007 Hottest Dogs in the Park Contest
She recently discovered a hidden talent for oil painting
She meditates
| Our favorite picture of Ms Cathy and her beloved Tommy in the backyard of the Senior Volunteer Connection on Langford Drive |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
In the News
