Obituaries

Cathy Marie (McCoy) Abramson, age 67, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, passed away on March 19, 2024, at her home with family by her side. She was born on September 9, 1956, in Sault Ste. Marie, to Kenneth and Helen Marie (Gurnoe) McCoy.

Cathy grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and graduated from Sault High School in 1974. Cathy was crowned Homecoming Queen and was the first Native American in Sault Ste. Marie to be crowned. She was a light everywhere she went, and everyone loved her spirit. She attended Lake Superior State University (LSSU) and graduated with an associate degree. She met Anthony Abramson at the pool while in college and fell head over heels. They married on December 23, 1978, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sault Ste Marie. They started their family and Cathy worked at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Sault Tribe Administration as their family grew. Cathy worked for the Sault Tribe Elder Program while attending college to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing. While attending LSSU, she was an active participant in Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and was honored with the Izaak Walton SIFE Award. She loved her tribal elders and assisted in the development of an elder language advisory team to promote revitalization of Anishinaabemowin. Cathy worked for the Youth Education & Activities Program with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and was instrumental in the development of the first Tribal Youth Council and Chi-Nodin Running Club.

Following her service for YEA she was elected to serve her tribal community as a Unit One Board of Director. This was her passion as she followed in the footsteps of her father and older sister, Bonnie McKerchie in this role of serving her tribe. She dedicated 20 years (5 terms) of service to this role and retired in 2016.

Cathy was passionate about the health and wellbeing of our people, being appointed to National Indian Health Board (NIHB) in 2009 as a representative of the Bemidji Region and elected as chairperson in 2013. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer right after first being elected Chair of NIHB. In 2015, Cathy received the highest-level award; the Jake White Crow Award, which recognizes an individual with outstanding lifetime achievements in elevating health care, advocacy, raising awareness, or effecting change for American Indian and Alaskan Native Healthcare. She also received the Indian Health Service Director’s Special Recognition Award in tribal leadership and partnership in 2013. Additionally, Cathy served as an inaugural committee member of the Health and Human Services Secretary Tribal Advisory Council (HHS STAC). She became the first female Chair of HHS STAC by unanimous vote. Cathy also served on the Center for Disease Control and Preventions tribal advisory board, and on the Tribal leaders Diabetes Committee. Even when her own health started challenging her, she did not let that stop her and she continued to support others and share her tremendous knowledge with those that would sit with her and listen. Cathy is credited with being the first one to say, “American Indians and Alaska Natives have the World’s first prepaid health system, and we paid for it with our lives, our land, and our way of life.”

Throughout all her great accomplishments, the greatest was her love of her children, grandchildren, husband Tony, and her nieces, and nephews. Cathy enjoyed fishing, being with her children, and grandchildren and showed her love of cooking to everyone. Cathy had a servant heart and would do anything for the people of Sault Ste. Marie and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribal Community.

Cathy is survived by her husband, Anthony Abramson; daughters, Lisa (Dan) Martin, Laura (Justin) Fisher; son, Anthony (Briann) Abramson Jr. all of Sault Ste. Marie; grandchildren, Helen and Joy Kerfoot, Maddison Collins, Julia Collins, Eva Collins, Anna Collins, Skye Downwind, Anthony Abramson III, Nelly Abramson; siblings, Paul “Chip” McCoy, Daniel McCoy, Laurie Henry, Michael (Kim) McCoy, Sherri McCoy, Patrick (Betsy) McCoy, Russ (Linda) Mckerchie, Gregg Spring; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and her kids at heart, Lisa Coonrod, Jenny Slough, Michael McKerchie, James McKerchie, Russell “Joey” McKerchie, D.J. Hoffman, Kenny McCoy.

Cathy is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Helen McCoy; sisters, Carol McCoy, Bonnie McKerchie-Spring, and Janice Wojcik; sisters-in-law, Ruth McCoy and Barb McCoy.

Services will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Niigaanagiizhik Ceremonial Building, 11 Ice Circle, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783. Visitation will begin at 5 PM, until Friday, March 22, 2024, when the Christian Ceremony will begin 10:00AM followed by the Funeral Service and Traditional Tribal Ceremony.

The final resting place will be Wilwalk Cemetery on Sugar Island, Michigan. Burial date to be determined later.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Cathy’s name to Hospice of the EUP, 308 W. 12th Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783.