Catherine Rice Gallant Obituary (1924 - 2017)

AUGUSTA ~ Catherine A. Rice “Cay” Gallant of Western Avenue, Augusta – radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist, and proponent of the performing arts – died on April 8, 2017 after a long illness. Cay was 92. Cay was born on September 17, 1924 in Winthrop, the daughter of Forrest and Alphia Rice. The Rice family moved to Augusta and Cay attended the former Williams Grade School on Bangor Street, and Cony High School – a graduate of the Class of 1943. Cay graduated from Emerson College in Boston where she studied speech and drama. After college, Cay taught English and drama for two years at Brunswick Junior High School and in Norridgewock. In 1947, Cay went to work at Augusta radio station WFAU and became the station’s director of women’s programs. Her first radio show was called From Me to You. In 1949, Cay married WFAU radio broadcaster Norman G. “Norm” Gallant. Norm and Cay became well-known in Maine broadcasting, writing and producing many local programs, including Melody House (a show that was broadcast from their Western Avenue home) and the radio drama series Across the Footlights, featuring actors from The Augusta Players. A daughter, Cathy, was born in 1955 and Cay left broadcasting to be a full-time mother, although on holidays she would often join Norm on Talkback, Norm’s daily morning talk show on WFAU, for conversation and card readings with the their call-in guests. For decades, beginning in 1956, Cay staged puppet shows to educate and entertain children at her home puppet theater, on cable television, and in local schools, libraries and churches. Cay acquired dozens of puppets and she created a voice and personality for each puppet character. “Magic of make believe is very important to a child because they can forget their worries as a little puppet marches up onto the stage and says, ‘Hi, I’m your friend,’” Cay remarked in a 1975 newspaper interview. “For just that little while for a child the world can be just a little bit better, knowing that puppets have their problems too, and real life isn’t so bad.” Active for decades in the greater Augusta community, Cay was an avid supporter of music and the dramatic arts, and a much sought after public speaker on local history and entertainers. She would often write and narrate public performances, accompanied by local musical talent, featuring the lives and works of great American composers, such as Gilbert and Sullivan, a personal favorite. From 1995 – 2005, Cay wrote a weekly column for the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel newspapers. Days Gone By featured local historical vignettes and human-interest stories. Cay and Norm later compiled many of her columns with Norm’s own Golden Notes newspaper columns into one volume, published in 2006. Cay was a lifetime member of the Penney Memorial United Baptist Church, and a long-time member of numerous clubs and organizations, including the Lithgow Library Board of Trustees, the Kennebec Historical Society, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, the Cecelia Club, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the VIP group at her church. Cay is survived by her daughter, Cathy, and her husband Thomas Morello of Flagstaff, Arizona. Cay was predeceased in 2011 by her beloved husband Norm. The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff at the Alzheimer’s Care Center in Gardiner for their professional and compassionate care during Cay’s stay. A celebration of Cay’s life will be held at 10am on Friday, April 14, at the Penney Memorial United Baptist Church, 393 Water Street, Augusta. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Augusta, at a later date. Because of her love for all animals, and most especially her Maine Coon Cats Angel, Bella, Misty and Luna, Cay asked that donations in her memory be made to P.A.L.S. No-Kill Cat Shelter, 188 Case Road, Winthrop, ME 04364. Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home and Cremation Service, One Church St., Augusta where memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com.