Cathryn (Cathy) Donges Dashley, beloved mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, passed away April 19, 2026, at 61 years old.

She was born January 30, 1965, in Frankfurt am Mein, Germany, to Christel Donges.

As a young child, Cathryn immigrated from Germany to Huntertown, Indiana, by way of Van Wert, Ohio. After graduating from Carroll High School in 1983, Cathryn returned to Germany for a short time before settling for good in Fort Wayne.

In 1990, Cathryn welcomed Benjamin Charles to the world. His birth was followed by Jacob André in 1994 and Joseph Erich in 1997.

In 2021, she became a grandmother for the first time when her grandson Julien was born in South Bend, Indiana. Her granddaughter Linnea was born in 2023.

Cathryn was strong, loving and always the life of the party. Fiercely protective of her friends and family, Cathryn never stepped down from a fight. She faced her final days with courage and remained as bright and determined as ever until her last breaths.

Cathy would be the first to admit that she did not lead an easy life, but she found refuge in her friends and family and especially her animals. A lifelong pet parent, she provided incredible lives for Max, Jak-Jak, Monk, Pickle, Zero and countless other dogs, cats, birds, fish and reptiles.

Cathy’s skills as a mom were not limited to her sons and animals. Over the years, she became the neighborhood mom to dozens of kids on Anderson Ave. and a “work mom” at her various jobs, most recently at Benco Dental.

Cathy loved all things reality television, especially Survivor, Amazing Race, Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Big Brother. She loved PBS – harboring a not-so-secret crush on Rick Steves for many years – and started every Sunday to the trumpet of CBS Sunday Morning.

She remembered every word to every song on the radio, even if she couldn’t always tell you who sang it. She was a fan of Pink Floyd, Sade, Pearl Jam, 10,000 Maniacs, The Cranberries, Lady Gaga, Metallica and so many others.

She will be dearly missed.

Cathryn is survived by her children, Benjamin Dashley (Sarah), Jacob Dashley, and Joseph Dashley; her grandchildren, Julien and Linnea; her mother, Christel Donges; her brother, André Donges; and her beloved animals Peanut, Ozzy, and Missy.

In lieu of flowers, Cathryn’s family asks that you make a donation in her name to the Humane Society of Fort Wayne (https://humanefw.org/donate/) or your local no-kill animal shelter.