This memory of Cathy is submitted by Jan Davies and Mary Maddin, in remembrance of their friend.
Cathy Urbanek was born in London, England on 29 April, 1949 then emigrated to West Vancouver, living on Esquimalt Avenue near Brother’s Creek. She started Grade 1 at Cedardale Elementary, meeting Mary in Grade 2 and Jan at the Easter of Grade 3. As well as living near each other, we three all had Welsh-schooled mothers, which we were never allowed to forget! We were great friends and banded together to shepherd David, the elder of Cathy’s two younger brothers, through Grade 1. But we also competed in a friendly way, although Cathy always outdid us in Math, Art and sports, including riding horses. She also kept and bred dogs: Dalmations and Dandy Dinmonts. After we all graduated from WVSS in the Accelerated Programme, Cathy completed Grade 13.
After graduating with a BA in Arts and science from UBC, Cathy then gained a “Maitrise de lettres modernes specialisée en matiéres théâtrales” from the Sorbonne in Paris. Her French was ‘impeccable’! Returning to UBC, Cathy graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1978. During that four-year period she was involved in the Vancouver Urbanart Project and Stan King design-ins. Her first job on graduation was with the famous architect Arthur Erickson and one of her projects involved working on a new capital city for Kuwait, with a budget described as “too much”! Cathy moved back to London in 1983 and joined Michael Aukett Associates a year later. She worked on a variety of projects, then specialized in transportation, including stations for the London Underground.
Despite having suffered a severe illness in early adulthood, Cathy forged on. Her friends knew her as cheerful and consistently optimistic, with contagious enthusiasm for all things. Her joie de vivre was indeed joyful! She was stylish, favouring clothes by Joseph and Issey Miyake, and she wore blue or green nail polish years before others awoke to the possibility of alternatives to red. In her work she was both energetic and doggedly determined not to compromise her ethics in design and her career. She had a strong sense of fair play and was indignant and even incredulous at others’ unreasonableness. She was a decisive decision-maker and became the Director of the Public Transport Group for what is now AUKETT SWANKE.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, treated and then suffered a recurrence in 2002. She and her long-time partner, Oktay Karel, also an architect, decided to marry. The ceremony was held on 12 April of that year and was a wonderful, stylish, joyous and bittersweet occasion. Her mother and two brothers flew from Canada, as did some friends. Cathy was radiant on her wedding day, graceful and poised, stating her vows in her clear voice.
Jan had invited Cathy and Oktay to a celebratory lunch the next day but instead sat with them as Cathy courageously underwent the first of what was hoped to be rescue chemotherapy. Sadly, she died some weeks later on June 24 with Oktay at her side. As well as her husband, Cathy was survived by her mother Sheila (who also taught Art at WVSS), her brothers David (WVSS ’73) and Peter (WVSS ’76) and their families, and numerous friends and colleagues. She is missed.
Carol Chapman (Forrester)
This memory of Cathy is submitted by Jan Davies and Mary Maddin, in remembrance of their friend.
Cathy Urbanek was born in London, England on 29 April, 1949 then emigrated to West Vancouver, living on Esquimalt Avenue near Brother’s Creek. She started Grade 1 at Cedardale Elementary, meeting Mary in Grade 2 and Jan at the Easter of Grade 3. As well as living near each other, we three all had Welsh-schooled mothers, which we were never allowed to forget! We were great friends and banded together to shepherd David, the elder of Cathy’s two younger brothers, through Grade 1. But we also competed in a friendly way, although Cathy always outdid us in Math, Art and sports, including riding horses. She also kept and bred dogs: Dalmations and Dandy Dinmonts. After we all graduated from WVSS in the Accelerated Programme, Cathy completed Grade 13.
After graduating with a BA in Arts and science from UBC, Cathy then gained a “Maitrise de lettres modernes specialisée en matiéres théâtrales” from the Sorbonne in Paris. Her French was ‘impeccable’! Returning to UBC, Cathy graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1978. During that four-year period she was involved in the Vancouver Urbanart Project and Stan King design-ins. Her first job on graduation was with the famous architect Arthur Erickson and one of her projects involved working on a new capital city for Kuwait, with a budget described as “too much”! Cathy moved back to London in 1983 and joined Michael Aukett Associates a year later. She worked on a variety of projects, then specialized in transportation, including stations for the London Underground.
Despite having suffered a severe illness in early adulthood, Cathy forged on. Her friends knew her as cheerful and consistently optimistic, with contagious enthusiasm for all things. Her joie de vivre was indeed joyful! She was stylish, favouring clothes by Joseph and Issey Miyake, and she wore blue or green nail polish years before others awoke to the possibility of alternatives to red. In her work she was both energetic and doggedly determined not to compromise her ethics in design and her career. She had a strong sense of fair play and was indignant and even incredulous at others’ unreasonableness. She was a decisive decision-maker and became the Director of the Public Transport Group for what is now AUKETT SWANKE.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, treated and then suffered a recurrence in 2002. She and her long-time partner, Oktay Karel, also an architect, decided to marry. The ceremony was held on 12 April of that year and was a wonderful, stylish, joyous and bittersweet occasion. Her mother and two brothers flew from Canada, as did some friends. Cathy was radiant on her wedding day, graceful and poised, stating her vows in her clear voice.
Jan had invited Cathy and Oktay to a celebratory lunch the next day but instead sat with them as Cathy courageously underwent the first of what was hoped to be rescue chemotherapy. Sadly, she died some weeks later on June 24 with Oktay at her side. As well as her husband, Cathy was survived by her mother Sheila (who also taught Art at WVSS), her brothers David (WVSS ’73) and Peter (WVSS ’76) and their families, and numerous friends and colleagues. She is missed.
Carol Chapman (Forrester)
Cathy Urbanek in about 1966 with one of her many Dalmations.
Carol Chapman (Forrester)
The memory tribute and photo has been submittted by Cathy's friends Mary Netupsky and Jan Davies.
Jan Davies
Catherine and Oktay Karel on their wedding day, 12 April 2002.