Cathleen Carol Treat

Cathleen Carol Treat passed away peacefully on Friday, April 25th. She was born March 22, 1942 in South Bend, Indiana and enjoyed a childhood filled with love and fellowship. She grew up just a few doors down from her doting grandparents, who she loved dearly, and was a beloved child of South Bend’s Catholic community. 

After high school she moved to Dodge City, Kansas to pursue an education degree from St. Mary of the Plains College. An educator by calling, she taught elementary and middle school for 30 years, each year improving at her craft, nurturing her students and instilling and inspiring them with her love for learning and knowledge It was teaching that led to the most unexpected turn of her life when her 7th grade students introduced her to their ‘63 -Corvette-driving basketball coach from Arkansas, Joe Treat. She was smitten and always readily admitted that she made a fool of herself over that man. Before long, Joe and Cathy were married and, after a brief stint in the construction and rental property business, decided to move their young family that now included Jeannie, Tim, and Chris to Arkansas. To the young mother from South Bend, Arkansas was like a strange country. Still, she persevered, and with the warm welcome from Joe’s family, she quickly acclimated to her new life in the South. They lived in Leslie, then Yellville, then, in 1978, both Cathy and Joe were hired by the Bryant School District, and the Treats had finally found the place that would be their true home. Here, Cathy built lifelong friendships with her fellow teachers and neighbors. Life raising children, married to a rounder like Joe, was never dull. She spent many hours in the gym, supporting Joe’s coaching, and their summers were spent in Michigan visiting her parents and preparing for the next school year.

 As their children grew up and started their own families, Joe and Cathy were generous with their time, always ready to help with a construction project (building a porch, pouring a slab of concrete for a basketball goal) or watch their grandkids when mom and dad needed a break. Joe and Cathy enjoyed a few quiet years in Helena, Arkansas remodeling an elegant Edwardian Style home before Joe passed in 2015. Afterwards, Cathy moved to the Waverly Community in Benton, near some of her dearest friends. She enjoyed weekly Bible Study and her dinners at the Big House and always said she was so blessed to have such a wonderful place to live. 

Cathy is preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Genvieve Tiedge and her husband, Joe Treat. She is survived by her sister, Mary Farinella of Rogers, AR, as well as her three children: Jeannie Qualls of Gillett, AR; Tim Treat and his wife Kim of McKinney, TX; Chris Treat and his wife Jana of Bryant, AR. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Josh Qualls of Monticello, AR; Grayson Treat of Lubbock, TX; Madison Treat of Fayetteville, AR; Jacob Qualls of Gillett, AR; Jackson Treat of Bryant, AR; Kathryn Treat of Orange, CA; Bryson Treat of Bryant, AR; and Judd Qualls of Gillett, AR. Visitation and Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, May 1st from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at The Center at Bishop Park 6401 Boone Rd. Bryant, AR. 

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Bryant Youth Association for School Supplies. https://donate.stripe.com/28o3gh4tr7V18wgbII

Arrangements by Arkansas Cremation, 10515 W Markham St, Suite B1, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205.If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so using the Guestbook section.

www.arkansascremation.com