Cater, Althea Catherine, 1917-

Althea Catherine Cater was born in New Orleans on March 18, 1917. Named after her aunt Althea, she has been called by her middle name, Catherine, all of her life. Her father, James Tate Cater, was a mathematician and dean of Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama. Her mother, Daisy Frances Rochon Cater, died when Catherine was still a young child. Following her mother's death, Catherine spent some time with relatives in Chicago and New York, before returning to live with her father in Talladega. ... She next moved to Moorhead, Minnesota, to teach at Moorhead State Teachers College. Catherine worked as a reference librarian and taught English classes at the Moorhead school, which changed its name to Moorhead State College (MSC) in 1957, and then to Moorhead State University (MSU) in 1975. In 1962, Catherine left Moorhead to take a teaching job at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo, North Dakota. At NDSU, she taught English and humanities classes, becoming a full professor there in 1963. In the spring of 1982, Catherine 'retired' from NDSU, and was made Professor Emeritus of English. Her retirement has not kept Catherine from teaching, however; in fact, since 1982, she has continued to teach at least one class each semester. In 2001, NDSU awarded her an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in recognition of her dedication to teaching and her promotion of the humanities. ... Catherine was divorced in 1951 from Cornelius Golightly, and has gone by her maiden name (Cater) since then. Her father died in May of 1958. Today, Catherine continues to live and teach in Fargo.