Charles "Barney" and Catherine Heathcott

- Evansville, Indiana

 

People of Wisdom

Name: Charles “Barney” and Catherine Heathcott

Parish: Members of St. Joseph Church, Evansville, since 1946.

Married, number of children: Married on May 15, 1943 at Holy Trinity Church, Evansville; two sons, five grandchildren (one is deceased), two great-grandchildren and one on the way.

What was your childhood like? Barney: I was born in Evansville, the second youngest of seven children. We lived across the street from Assumption Cathedral. My parents got divorced when I was young. When I was about six years old, they took me up to Vincennes to live at the St. Vincent’s Orphanage. I stayed there until 1937, when they put me in a foster home at Washington, Ind. I was mistreated there, so I ran away. I came back here to Evansville and found out my dad was living in Michigan. I went up there to stay on a farm with him for a while. I joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, where I learned to cook and bake. After I got out of there, I worked on a car ferry out on Lake Michigan. When I came back to Evansville, I got a job driving a truck, which I did for 42 years. Catherine: I was born in Waverly, Ky., but came to Evansville when I was about 3 years old. I went to Holy Trinity when I was in grade school, then I went to Memorial — I remember taking a streetcar to school — but I didn’t get to graduate from there. My mom was in the hospital a lot, so I had to stay home and raise my two younger sisters. My Daddy was a paperhanger, so he never knew how often he’d be working. I used to help him on those jobs . . . doing the pasting and pushing the brush back and forth. I was pretty good at it, as a kid.

How did you meet? Catherine: We met at my house. A boy that Barney knew from the orphanage was staying at our place, and he came over to see him. Later, I invited him to a party, and that was it!

Tell me two things about yourself that defines who you are: Barney: I volunteer for the Little Sisters of the Poor and have been very active in church and school activities over the years. Catherine: I love to work with elderly people. I have been a volunteer at the Little Sisters of the Poor for 42 years. I was a stay-at-home mom and was very involved with PTA and other activities when our children were in school at St. Joseph.

Who was your hero or someone you looked up to as a child? Barney: My mother never had much time because she worked all the time. My sister, Odie, pretty much raised me until they took me up to the orphan’s home. She was at least 10 or 15 years older than me.

Who is your hero now? Barney: I thought a lot of Father Kilfoil, who was our pastor at St. Joe Parish. He guided me through some problems.

What are your hobbies? Barney: I like fishing, traveling, football and basketball, and walking at the mall with my friends. Catherine: I like to play cards with a group from St. Joe’s.

What are you or have you been involved with at your parish? Barney: I was a Cub Scout leader and coached football and Little League when our boys were young. When we had Latin Masses, I sang in the choir. I was involved in the Men’s Club and fried chicken at the Summer Social and the Sunday dinners. Now I am an usher and take care of the candles, bulletins and the books down at St. Joe every Saturday evening. Catherine: I was very involved at school when our boys were young and have worked at the socials and dinners. I helped get the Mass time changed to 4 p.m. on Saturday evenings at our parish. I thought it would be easier for the eldery people to come to an earlier Mass in the evening . . . they have worked so hard through the years, they deserve it!

What do you like most about being Catholic? Barney: I like the Mass now the way it is. You can understand the Mass now that it is in English, I enjoy it a whole lot more. Catherine: When they started having the Mass at homes, Father Lex had the first one at our house. There were 22 people at that Mass. Then we went to the Daughters of Isabel for the next 20, then had the last five at St. Joseph Cafeteria. Father Spaulding had the last 25 Masses.

What is your favorite religious item? Barney: I have a crucifix over my bed that was on my granddaughter’s coffin. Her mother let me have it. April was killed in an automobile accident when she was only 20 years old. Catherine: I have a rosary that belonged to my daddy back when I was living at home. He had this black rosary, and he gave it to me just before he died.

Have you ever experienced a miracle or God’s intervention in your life? Barney: I guess He’s helped me more ways than one because I’ve had a couple of strokes and angioplasty. I believe God guided me through that.

What’s the best advice you can give someone else? Barney: To be yourself. Have confidence in yourself and confidence in others, and respect them. Catherine: Be close to your family and let them know it. My grandkids like to call me “the hugmeister.”

People of Wisdom is sponsored by the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana, Inc. For more information, please call (800) 637-1731 or (812) 424-5536, or visit the website at www.catholicfoundationswin.org.