Funeral Services for Bobby Cathey, 89, of Pep, NM will be held at 10:00 AM, Thurs., Sept. 2, 2021 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Wesley McAfee officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with T. J. Cathey, Cade Cathey, Luke Cathey, Bryce Bohm, Dusty Cathey and Billy Cathey serving as pallbearers. All other family members and his many friends will serve as honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Dora Volunteer Fire Department.
Bobby Wayland Cathey, or Bob, was born in Obar, NM on December 4, 1931, as the first-born child of Nolan and Jessie (Bryce) Cathey. He passed from his earthly life to his heavenly home on August 28, 2021.
Bob grew up around Texline and Dalhart, Texas, with his three brothers and one sister, during much of his youth. His parents bought a dairy near Portales not long before he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. He moved with them and helped operate the dairy as long as he could. He was in Korea for about 19 months from 1952-1954. He served as a Corporal in the 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Division, building and maintaining roads for the military as a heavy equipment operator.
While overseas his parents traded the dairy for the store with Post Office, house and farmland at Pep, NM. During this time, they would mail him the local newspaper. One day he saw a picture of a very pretty girl going to Girls State from Dora High School, who lived down by Pep. He decided then and there he wanted to meet that pretty girl, Buna Lyndell Tivis. He made it happen after being honorably discharged from the Army. They were married November 27, 1955, at Milnesand Baptist Church. It must have been God’s design, because they were married over 65 years.
Bobby and Buna lived around Pep when their daughter, Julie, was born. Then they moved to Texline for a while, where their oldest son, Billy, was born. They moved back to Pep where their youngest son, Dusty, was born. They never moved again. Bob farmed and ranched most of his life and never wanted to do anything else.
Bob did try rodeoing for a short while, as a bull rider, before going into the army. However, his favorite pastimes were baseball and fast pitch softball. He loved baseball and knew baseball. A fond memory of his kids is when he would come home from the field and knock them flies and grounders with a baseball bat out on the dirt road in front of their house. He umpired Little League games, as well as Jr. High and High School games at Dora when he was able. He coached both Billy and Dusty in Little League and took them to fast pitch softball games during the summers. They both played fast pitch when they were old enough in the Portales League. He never missed a game. He loved watching ball games especially when his kids and grandkids were playing.
Bob joined the Dora Volunteer Fire Department along with Dusty and Billy in 1987, at the age of 56. He retired in 2002, after 15 years of service. He was always willing to help anyone who needed it, even strangers having car trouble or needing a ride.
Bob was a member of the Dora Baptist Church and enjoyed old-time gospel music. As a youngster he even attended a gospel quartet singing school one summer. He never sang a solo in public, but he sang at home all the time, from early in the morning until late at night. He also enjoyed traditional country and bluegrass music.
Bob was a great storyteller and enjoyed sharing with his children and grandchildren about his interesting childhood and time spent in Korea with his Army buddies. He truly enjoyed being a grandpa and great-grandpa!
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his youngest brother N.C. in 2002, his brothers, Wendell and James and sister, May Ruth, all within two weeks of each other at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021.
He is survived by his wife, Buna, of the home, his daughter, Julie of Portales, his son, Billy (Joeli) of Dora, and his son, Dusty (Tanis) of Pep; 7 grandchildren, T.J. (Courtney) Cathey, Amber (Ty) Rivers, Cade (Dominique) Cathey, Autumn (Russell) Anderson, Rachael (Thomas) Anderson, Sky (Lucas) Buchanan, and Luke Cathey; and 14 great-grandchildren.
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