Catherine "Katie" McShane SollohubCatherine "Katie" McShane Sollohub, 100, died on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at her daughter's home in Christiansburg, VA. Katie was born on June 22, 1916 in Troy, NY, to Dr. John James and Helen Burke McShane. She used to say that she lived 4 lifetimes. The first was growing up in the small town in central New York where she developed her lifelong love of family, nature and learning. In 1934 she entered the pre-med program at Syracuse University. She began dating a handsome West Point cadet she'd known since 4th grade. On January 2, 1938, Catherine and Julian V. Sollohub were married and sailed to his first duty station in the Philippines. With no quarters for the young Lieutenant and his wife, they spent the first months of marriage in a tent in the Philippine jungle. Katie loved it.This began her 2nd lifetime - 30 years as an Army wife, raising 4 children in the midst of 17 moves - 7 different states and 3 continents. The faith-filled and loving bond between Katie and Julian provided a solid home for the family wherever they moved. When the older kids were grown and gone, Katie returned to school, getting a degree in education.Her 3rd lifetime began in 1967, when Julian retired from the Army and they moved to Tallahassee. He had a position with DOT, and Katie earned a Masters in remedial reading and taught at Nims Middle School for 20 years, loving every minute. It showed in the progress her students made and in the positive impact on their lives beyond the classroom. Katie's 4th lifetime started when she "retired" in 1988. Love of nature and of learning continued as a focus. She slogged through swamps and surf during classes on Florida ecosystems, wildflowers, and marine biology. She joined with an outfitter on all-women primitive canoe expeditions in the Everglades, on the Green, Missouri, and Allagash Rivers and, at 76, the Peruvian Amazon. Katie played a role in developing an educational outreach program for the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, which became another home to her. There was travel - China, Europe, Central America, Alaska. Above all, she cared. She tutored and mentored numerous young people and provided support to many, in many ways. When asked how they could repay her, Katie would always answer: "Pass it on. Do the same for someone else." Her contributions were noted: Gov. Bush recognized her as a Point of Light, she was a Tallahassee Volunteer of the Year, a Senior Center Silver Star, Project Learning Tree Educator of the Year, and other honors. But it was always the joy of the work that motivated her. Julian died in 2007. They had been married 69 years. Katie, ever the "Mater Familias", kept all generations of her family close, spiritually if not physically, and maintained her independent, caring and active (still driving to Tai Chi at 99) life until the end.Katie is survived by her children: Charles (Sandee), Elaine Darcy (Ed), Julian "Jay" (WonJa), and Kathleen Martinez (Olin Anderson); grandchildren: RJ, Michael, Stephen, Joe, Linda, Eric, Jeff, Dominic, and Danielle; and great-grandchildren: Cullen, John Paul, Jillian, Katie, Robbie, Anna and Noah.Katie will be interred in the family plot in Springfield Center, NY, with a Memorial Mass there at that time. A Memorial Mass will also take place at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Tallahassee at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.Contributions can be made to Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, PO Box 368, St. Marks, FL 32355 (or www.stmarksrefuge.org. Also, a special annual award has been established for students at Nims Middle School in Katie's name - contributions can be made to the "Pass It On!" Award Fund and sent to Nims Middle School, 723 W. Orange Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32310.