Cathy Valenti (Benson) passed away peacefully on the 24th of January 2024 at EW Bickle Centre for Complex Continuing Care in Toronto at the age of 68. She is survived by the love of her life, husband of almost 50 years and best friend, Lou; proud son Michael; devoted daughter Rebekah (John), sweet cherished granddaughters Marcella and baby Luciana. Predeceased by her beloved father William Benson, she is also survived by her loving mother Dorothy Benson, and dear brother Rob (Sheila). She will be forever missed by her sisters-in law Linda DeMarco (Tony), Diane Benson; brother in law, Steve; nieces Nicole, Alex and Karie-Ann (Keka); nephews Paul and Stevie. She will always be remembered by longtime family friends Rick and Janet Rowell and her very best girlfriends, two of the “Three Musketeers” Lynn Eves (Kevin “Buck”), Andree-Anne Belisle Hermetz (Bill) and their children, Nicole, Samantha, Chantal and Kyle.

“Chatty” Cathy was so many things to so many people over the years. She was the person who could literally walk into a room full of strangers and make everyone her friend. She did not have a shy bone in her body. She was the most genuine person you ever met in your life. She made everyone feel better, feel good about themselves, and feel lucky to know someone like her. To describe her to someone who never met her, just think of a warm hug. That’s Cathy in a nutshell. She embraced and accepted everyone as they were. She would help you out of anything. She cared about everyone. She had time for everyone. She was so very kind and had endless compassion for all.

The last four years have been unimaginable after she suffered a life altering hemorrhagic stroke while out of the country at the onset of the pandemic. Her unshakable fortitude meant that it was not yet her time. The support received by her family from so many people during the immediate aftermath and throughout this time will never be forgotten. A true reflection and reminder of all that is good. We would like to also express our sincere gratitude to her care team at Aventura Medical Centre in Miami, the 6th Fl Neurovascular Unit @ Toronto Western Hospital, and the dedicated members of the team on EW Bickle’s 3S Unit who have cared for her as they would their own loved one through her time there. You are truly angels.

Cathy’s wish to donate her organs and tissue has been fulfilled, and we will celebrate her life in the Spring at a golf course close to her home because she loved golf and “hates the cold”. We would have liked to aligned it to the Leafs victory parade as her dying wish, but it’s just not their year.

Donations can be made to support the “Cathy Valenti Compassionate Care Award” at UHN. These funds allow nurses who cared for Cathy at EW Bickle Centre to engage in personal wellness based activities to support their mental health, enabling them to deliver the best possible care to patients and provide support to families such as ours.

Copy Link Below to Donate:

http://support.uhnfoundation.ca/site/RedirectHandler?type=goto&key=cathyvalenti