Mary Catherine Berry Vita passed from this earth on January 31, 2017 in Houston, Texas. She was born in Handley, Texas on December 23, 1924. She graduated in 1941 from Vernon High School in Vernon, Texas and attended radio school in Sayre, Oklahoma before moving to Fort Worth, Texas. While there during World War II she worked for Convair as one of the "Rosie the Riveter" girls. Catherine was very active in the USO during the war, attending dances for servicemen and corresponding with many of them for years. After the war, she was employed by Swift Packing Company in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Her future husband Ernest Frank Vita, Sr. worked for the competing packing house Armour. Eventually they met and were married in 1947. They were transferred to Memphis, TN where they lived for many years. While there, she was employed by the Tennessee Fabricating Co. From there, they transferred to San Antonio. Upon his retirement Catherine and Ernest moved from San Antonio to Seymour, Texas where he had extensive family. In Seymour, she was active in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Altar Society and the Women"s Deanery Council. They were godparents to seven children. They were both active in the Knights of Columbus and attended many functions. She remained an active member of the Armour Women"s Club. Catherine was a devoted mother who had a lifelong love of sports. Ernest preceded her in death in 2007 after 59 years of marriage. After his death, Catherine moved to Houston to live with her son Frank and his family, where she had many happy years with the grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was also preceded in death by daughter Rita C. Vita Madole, son Dennis R. Vita, sister Frances Berry Shipman, brother Thomas A. Berry and parents Charles and Martha Tiroff Berry.
She is survived by son Ernest Frank, Jr. and daughter-in-law Cathleen of Houston, grandsons Daniel and Jeremy Micah Vita of Arizona, Andrew Ernest and Samuel Joseph Vita of Houston, and granddaughters Sarah Elizabeth Madole of New York City and Sofia Christina Vita of Houston. Also surviving are sisters Charlene Berry Coggins of Dublin and Joanne Berry Matysek of Irving, and brother Carroll (Joe) Berry of Hurst along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Services for Catherine will be Friday, February 10 in Seymour with burial in Bomarton Catholic Cemetery beside her husband and deceased children. Funeral services are being conducted by Seymour Memorial Funeral Home.