1932 - 2014Catherine T. Hurley (nee Monahan) died peacefully at Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, surrounded by her children, on October 10th, 2014. She was 81 years old.The daughter of Irish immigrants, Catherine was born on Dec 27th, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, to John Monahan of Tuam, Co. Galway, and Anne Monahan (nee Collins) of Co. Clare. Catherine began a career as a model after winning the title of Miss Subways in December of 1950. Selected as New York City's "Most Charming Teenager" for the Daily Mirror, Catherine went on to join the John Robert Powers Modeling Agency, and was one of six finalists in the 1958 Miss Rheingold Contest. She became a face of Coca Cola and appeared in print and television ad campaigns for Sweetheart Soap and Chesterfield Cigarettes, among others.After her marriage in 1958 to Naval officer Joseph Hurley, later General Manager of ITT Semiconductors in Sidcup, Kent, England and President of ITT Decca Marine, Palm Coast, Florida, Catherine raised three children in Stamford and Greenwich, Connecticut and London, England. In and around these various locales, Catherine pursued her interests in art, literature and travel. She studied painting, sculpture and creative writing at SUNY, Purchase and Manhattanville College.Later in life, her love of art and language and adventurous spirit brought her to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where she devoted her time to studying Spanish and her continuing development as an artist. Upon her return to New York City, she taught English as a second language and was beloved by her students. Her zest for life and passionate appreciation of beauty, poetry, theater, music and the visual arts live on in her children and grandchildren.She is survived by three children, Sheila Hurley, Joe Hurley and Katie Hurley Ambrosoli, son-in-law, Marco Ambrosoli, six grandchildren, James, Dylan, Isabel, Dakota-Eagle, Joseph and Olivia, brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Karen Monahan, and sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Jim Starace, and their families.A memorial service will be held in New York City at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to Catherine's favorite charity: Operation Smile, 3641 Faculty Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23453.