This past week I said my final goodbye to Cathy Hofher, the person who single handedly made me a published children’s author. The person who drew pictures for my “words.” As I sat in the chapel listening to her family honor her life, I couldn't believe I was sitting there. It wasn't just the obvious disbelief she was gone, but more that I was literally there. Had it not been for Cathy’s single act of kindness, there would be no Inch by Inch Publications Company, or “Reach for the Sky,” “Put Your Best Foot Forward,” “Take a Deep Breath” and “What Can I do Today” books on shelves across our country.
Our four children’s books www.inchbyinchbooks.com
I met Cathy in the winter of 1993. Her husband Jim offered my husband, Jeff, a job as the offensive line coach (that’s football, for non-sports fans) at Cornell University. We drove up to visit the campus and ask all the questions. I remember meeting Cathy for the first time. She politely held out her hand to introduce herself and I grabbed her in a bear hug. In many ways, I never let her go. That was until today. I also remember her laughter. It was a trifecta; her eyes lit up, her giggle was a two-part reaction kind of thing and then came the smile. A reaction I never tired of over the 30-plus years of our business partnership and friendship.
As football coaching life goes; within a week of accepting the job, Jeff moved to Ithaca, N.Y. and I spent the next six months finishing out the school year, packing up my life and saying goodbye. When I finally arrived in Ithaca Cathy was there to welcome me. She invited me to a book club. She consistently called to check in on me because she sensed I was struggling living so far from family and friends for the first time.
When I am sad, baking helps me sort out my gloomy disposition. Since I had few friends and no family to share the baked goods with, my husband brought them to the football office. Eventually even they couldn't keep up so I opened a stall at the local Ithaca Farmers Market and called it “The Sunflour Bakery.”
One chilly Saturday morning Cathy and her three adorable little girls walked up to my stand and changed my life forever. Cathy sheepishly handed me a hand painted wooden birdhouse with The Sunflour Bakery painted upon the roof. She said, “I know you’ve been feeling sad lately Allison, and thought this little birdhouse might cheer you up.”
From that moment on we never looked back. She loved my words, and I loved her art. We were two gals who both had childhood dreams; mine to write and hers to illustrate. We spoke almost every weekday morning about life, what we were planning to make for dinner, pending or looming football moves, pets, sisters, parents, children, husbands, weather, football wins and losses, and then always our books. Despite all the odds, Cathy and I somehow managed to build Inch by Inch Publications and publish four books. We were responsible for it all; writing, editing, illustrating, producing, publishing, marketing, distributing and running a company.
Our very first book signing at The Corner Bookstore in Ithaca, NY
Yet with all that in common, Cathy and I were sort of an odd couple. I was an outspoken chatty northern girl and she was a polite soft spoken southern gal. I wore my emotions on my sleeve, often breaking down in blubbering tears while she had hers neatly tucked in her pocket and dabbed her tears with a tissue. We traveled the country together inspiring teachers and students. We spoke at endless conferences including our favorite; The Annual Football Coaches Wives Convention.
Celebrating the opening of the MSU Children’s Garden with our book “Take a Deep Breath” taking center stage.
For two girls who only lived in the same city for two years, we were connected. A connection that remained even after my husband and I moved on from Cornell. We finished each other’s sentences. So many people said we were like a vaudeville act; incredibly entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny, heartwarming, honest and always so inspiring. After “our gigs” we would sit together before our flights took us our separate ways and discuss the highlights. Every single time we would marvel at how overwhelmingly lucky we felt to be living our dreams and genuinely making our world a better place.
Basking in the glow after another successful Author-Illustrator visit in the state of Michigan
Amidst our goodbyes I always told her how grateful I was she cared enough about my well-being to paint me a birdhouse. She always played it off, always the humble one. However, it was her caring heart that not only dramatically changed both our lives but the lives of everyone who will hold our books in their hands.
Cathy and I never spoke much about how our books would outlive us. We just plodded along each day with a goal of getting our books into as many hands as possible. And yet, here I am today—continuing our dream alone. Honestly, it’s been too many years I have been going it alone. Cathy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019 which eventually robbed her of her artistic talents, memories and independence. It’s the disease said to end a life twice. Once when the memories of their life and loved ones are erased and again with their last breath.
Cathy lived her life in the humblest of fashions through art, compassion and love. Her final act of kindness was to donate her brain to science to advance critical research to end Alzheimer’s. It is true this disease erased her own precious memories of her beautiful life, but it cannot and will not erase her memory from ours.
Cathy Hofher November 24, 1954- November 30, 2021
A little thing you should know: Even though Cathy loved flowers very much, her family requested memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, which I do believe she would have loved more. alz.org/donate
a forever grateful friend,
Moral: “Every single day of your lives, ask yourselves this question: “What can I do today to make this world a happier place?”—excerpt from What Can I Do Today?