Cathy Littlefield

Cathy Littlefield was born in Kodiak, Alaska in June 1957 to Wayne and Bonnie Littlefield. They moved with big brother Cleve Edward to Las Vegas when Cathy was just a few months old. Wayne joined the Las Vegas fire department, eventually becoming captain, and Bonnie worked as a nurse. The young family first lived in Trailer Estates, but soon moved to their Washington Boulevard house on the West side of town. There, she met and made many lifelong friends, chief among them Jolene Donavan (now Shabet), who became part of the Littlefield family. 

The family’s motto, which Bonnie started and Cathy exemplified, was work hard, play hard. Bonnie was a drill sergeant when it came to chores and keeping the house immaculate, but then she would play alongside her children and their friends. The family played games at almost every meal, usually Spades or Dominoes. Trivial Pursuit came out every holiday. Cathy and her brother were notoriously competitive, later banned by the family from ever being on the same team. They were often accused of cheating, but if they did, it was obvious and blatant, like cross talking during Spades. Usually, the truth is few were as skilled as they were at the games being played. 

The family regularly took trips to see family in New Mexico, where both Bonnie and Wayne had hailed, and took vacations to Mexico. When Bonnie and Wayne bought a beach-front condo in Mazatlan to flee Vegas winters, it became a second home for Cathy too. 

Cathy graduated from Western High School in 1975. Cathy worked some odd jobs before starting as a clerk for Clark County. Smart and hard working, Cathy learned the ins and outs of building permits, zoning rules and planning and worked her way up to upper management. After 30 years of service, Cathy retired in 2008 as manager of the Permit Application Center. 

From the outpourings the family has gotten from colleagues, it is clear she earned their deep respect.  Former supervisor Ronald Lynn told us that she was great with the public and with staff, and that he often turned to Cathy with questions. If he needed an opinion, Cathy was never hesitant to share her opinion. Another colleague posted on Facebook that Cathy was her work aunty, that Cathy took her under her wing and helped her learn the ropes and included her in social outings to play pool, bowl or even cut a rug on the dance floor. 

“She made me laugh, she made me cry and she was always brutally honest with me,” Stephanie Holbert wrote. 

Though Cathy had purchased a condo of her own, she and her parents decided to dream big and design a custom home they could all share. Wayne and Bonnie sold their home and moved into Cathy’s two-bedroom condo so they could construct a grand ranch home on a half acre in what was then the far outskirts of town. They moved into their dream home in 1988, which they designed to be able to regularly host gatherings for family and friends of 50+ people. Every holiday for many years was at the house, with Bonnie’s extended family coming down at Thanksgiving.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, Cathy played an instrumental role in shaping the lives of her nephew, Cleve Wayne, and niece, Christina. She was a constant encouraging force, and often stepped up with crucial support to aid their life goals. She helped fund Cleve’s early interest in computers and helped Christina finance a college internship. She gifted Cleve her old Toyota Camry and then had him pass that on to Christina when she cosigned the loan so Cleve could buy his first new car, a Black Mustang GT. She signed paperwork saying she’d financially sponsor Christina’s husband, Nathan, to help lock down his fiance visa. She hosted their May 4 wedding in the backyard of her home. 

Cathy got the travel bug from her parents, who worked as travel agents in their senior years. The trio went on some amazing cruises and other adventures, including to Alaska, Russia and Israel. They got such a great deal on an all-expenses-included trip to Jamaica that they went twice with cousins within a few weeks time. She also spent several weeks in England back in 2010 visiting her niece and taking short trips around the country and over to France. 

Cathy met her partner of 20 years, Dennis Foster, through mutual friends in 2001. They fell for each other fast, and were soon living together. Eventually, Cathy bought Wayne and Bonnie’s share in the house and she and Dennis took over the family gatherings. Over the years, the couple made many improvements to the house, with Cathy envisioning the change and Dennis executing it beautifully. Dennis proposed a few years in but they settled on a permanent engagement. Cathy had finally acquiesced to tie the knot and they were planning on a small elopement May 4 with a bigger celebration to come when COVID conditions eased. 

Cathy worked hard to develop strong, trusting relationships with Dennis’s children, and she developed a particular bond with Dennis’ daughter Trish and her now wife Bri. Cathy welcomed Bri to live with them during a difficult time and helped both women develop and grow into the strong, amazing people they are today. Cathy also connected significantly with Dennis’ sisters and their husbands. She went on weekly shopping trips with Dennis’ Aunt Fran. 

Cathy loved people. She was a great connector. She could chat up anyone and make friends anywhere. She was great at making people feel seen and heard and welcome. Nathan’s first Christmas in the U.S., she called his mother to find out what she could make to help make the holiday special, and then Cathy produced a French Canadian style meat pie. 

Cathy loved thrift stores and the swap meet. She loved to socialize, whether it was at the house playing games, out playing pool or checking out the lights and music of the Fremont Street Experience. She loved to talk on the phone. She loved animals, and she and Dennis always had at least one dog and usually six or seven cats roaming their home. She was notoriously stubborn, blunt and no nonsense with everyone, but deeply loving, funny and fiercely loyal to her friends and family. She lived how she wanted and sucked out all the marrow of life that she could. 

Cathy will be deeply missed. She is mourned by her partner of 20 years, Dennis Foster, her stepchildren, her siblings-in-law, her nieces and nephews, and many cousins. Cathy was preceded in death by her parents and brother.