Obituary of Cathy Manduca

CATHERINE JANE MANDUCA WINSLOW- Cathy (Nanny) Manduca, 80, died December 26, 2019, in Augusta. Cathy was born on March 12, 1939, at the family farm on Carlstrom Hill in T16 R4, near Stockholm Maine. Cathy was the fourth of five children born to Hermon and Edythe L. (Anderson) Carlstrom. She graduated from Caribou High School in 1957. In 1959 she married the father of her four children, William G. Cleaves, Sr. While constantly focused on loving and raising her children, she held a steady career in bookkeeping and accounting, both outside and inside her home office. Family was always her passion, and throughout the years she gained many more children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with so many others who came to love her as “Nanny.” In her 20 years with Francis “Bill” Haskell she developed a love for spending her winters in Florida, often traveling to and from the sunny south by motorhome. Nanny enjoyed spending those days catching up with friends and taking 3-wheel bicycle rides down the groomed trails. In 2004 Nanny was able to fulfill a lifelong dream to visit Sweden, the homeland of her ancestors. In the years that followed, she traveled much of the United States with her late husband, William J. Manduca, visiting countless famous destinations, often related to music, which she and the “Duke” loved so much. She loved being involved in community organizations, and was always helpful to others, especially in their time of need. Nanny had many other hobbies and passions including camping, dancing, crossword puzzles, riding motorcycles, boating, fishing, shopping, yard work, laundry, and washing dishes… she didn’t idle well. Nanny lived her life through a lens of true kindness, offering warmth to every person she encountered. While she will be missed dearly in body, she will live vibrantly through memories and the spirit of love. She was predeceased by her parents and four siblings, Anne (Carlstrom) Lennon, Herman Carlstrom, Helen Carlstrom, and Marshall “Mort” Carlstrom. Nanny is survived by her daughter Julie and husband Paul Brown of Winslow, and her three sons, William “Billy” Cleaves and his partner Sue Mizzoni of Liberty, Michael Cleaves and partner Alan Skipper of Nobleton, Florida, Mark and wife Diane Cleaves of Winterport Maine. Her loving grandchildren, Logan, Ben, Molly, Carly, Jake, Dylan, Alex, Megan, and Max. Five great-grandchildren, and many cherished step-family members, including the Haskells and the Manducas. Visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2020, with a funeral service immediately to follow at 2:00 p.m. at Riposta Funeral Home; 182 Waldo Ave. Belfast, Maine. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association 383 US Route One #2C, Scarborough, ME 04074 or at https://alz.org/.