Mr Cecil Catchings II

Cecil Thomas Catchings II was born on December 15, 1942 to the late Delora Beatrice (Jordan) Catchings and Cecil Thomas Catchings in Camilla, GA. He accepted Christ at an early age at the family church, St. Peter AME. He was educated in the Camilla public school system and often had his mother as a teacher. Cecil had a fascination with automobiles and trains, even creating wooden toys for his younger brothers. He enjoyed traveling with his mother to Murfreesboro and Memphis by train. He graduated from Camilla Consolidated School as co-valedictorian of his class. An added distinction was that he was only 16 years old. He enrolled at Tuskegee Institute, where he was a member of the marching band and ROTC. Additionally, he was initiated in the Gamma Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in the fall of 1960. He later transferred to Fort Valley College where he married Carolyn Johnson in 1964 and to this union Carol Lynn Catchings was born. The love for the locomotive led him to begin working for Southern Railway (Norfolk Southern) in Atlanta, Georgia. “C.T.” as he was fondly called at the railroad, transferred to Macon, and then Birmingham, AL. While in Birmingham, he met Queen Bishop, his dedicated and loving wife for over 51 years. This union bore sons Cecil III, George, and daughter Celia. He was a proud father, and enjoyed coaching his sons in football and baseball, and teaching them all how to drive and maintain a car, and play an instrument. He later transferred to the McDonough, GA training office. He became a member of First Baptist of Gresham Road in 1979 under the leadership of Reverend E.J. Jester. He was an active member and continued to watch services online as his health declined. He served in ministry as a deacon and trustee, singer in the male choir, former Sunday School Superintendent, and taught the adult Sunday School class for over 20 years. He loved his church family, Pastor Norman Thomas, Jr., and attending weekday Bible study. After his retirement from Norfolk Southern in 2003, Cecil continued teaching classes and was called upon to travel and instruct classes because he knew every aspect of the train. He continued his hobby of photography by volunteering at football games for Southwest Dekalb High School with Coach Buck Godfrey, and attending Tuskegee homecoming games. Family was extremely important to Cecil. He was referred to as the family historian, with binders of notes and photographs, often making phone calls and taking out of town drives to locate relatives. At any event, you could find him behind his Nikon camera. He enjoyed traveling to as many family reunions across the country as possible. He had an avid love for history and mechanical engineering. Cecil was preceded in transition by his parents, Cecil T. Catchings and Delora B. Catchings, and granddaughter Sydney James Catchings. Precious memories will forever remain in the hearts and minds of his family: devoted wife Queen, daughter Carol (Paul) Amos, son and caretaker Cecil T. Catchings III, George (Angela) Catchings, daughter Celia (DeJuan) Conley, brothers Dr. Timothy Catchings (Renia Biernacki-Poray), and CW4 (Ret.) Fred (Sherrell) Catchings, mother-in-law Mrs. Margaret Davis, grandchildren Ryan Catchings, Brionna Missouri, Raegan (Alix) Noizin, Brayden Conley, Peyton Conley, Trevor Catchings, and a host of loving family, church members, and friends.

Tributes

Mr Cecil Catchings II

December 15, 1942 - August 22, 2023