Catherine Deus Canny

Dr. Catherine Deus Canny, 95, of Greenwood Village, passed away on Sunday, January 21, 2018. Born on November 26, 1922 she was the daughter of the late Anthony Peter and Anita (Tafoya) Deus. She married the love of her life, Francis Edward Canny, a native of Denver on January 31, 1948. He pre-deceased her on October 18, 1988. Catherine is survived by her children, Tim Canny [Sherry] Scottsdale, AZ., Sharon Canny, Mercer Island, WA, Anita Hakanson [Dean], La Jolla, CA, Celeste Matteson [Jim], Discovery Bay, CA, Clare Canny [Ken Harris] Denver, CO, Paul Canny [Joann Kaplan] Newcastle, ME and 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Catherine attended Loretto Heights College and received her masters from the University of Colorado. This reflected the emphasis education played in her family and she continued to live the motto “A lifetime of learning” by receiving her PhD from the University of Colorado when she was 63 years old. Catherine spent 16 years in the Cherry Creek School District as a middle school principal and prior to this she was an educator at Saint Mary’s Academy Middle School in Cherry Hills Village. She was founder of an alternative high school known as Cherry Creek PREP, a school for students who required specific types of learning. Catherine served on several boards, including the Cherry Creek Community Assets Board, the Mizel Museum, Denver Assets Investment Club at the Denver Athletic Club where she and her husband Frank had been members since 1948. She was given the Stellar Women Award of Denver in 2007 and co-founded RECCS [Retired Employees of Cherry Creek Schools]. She was instrumental in starting the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation and served as a board member for a number of years. Catherine was a founding member of Father Woody’s Homeless Shelter and served on the board. She was on the original committee to establish Head Start in Montana and received an award from Lady Bird Johnson. A Funeral Mass for Catherine will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018 at 10:30AM at Church of the Risen Christ, 3060 S Monaco Pkwy, Denver, CO 80222, followed by a reception in the church hall. Burial will be private at Fort Logan National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations in Catherine’s name may be made to Father Woody’s Haven of Hope at 1101 W 7th Ave Denver, CO 80204 and Loretto Development Office, Attn: Denise Ann Clifford, SL, 4000 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80123.