Compiled by Rev. Sue Murphy
Catherine (Cat) Anne O’Meara, 37, passed away on April 25, 2026, with family by her side at Maine Medical Center in Portland following a courageous two-month battle, after surviving cardiac arrest from a severe asthma attack.
She was born on March 23, 1989, to Thomas and Vicky O’Meara at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford. It was apparent very early on that Cat’s vibrant red hair would foreshadow the intense and fiery journey her life would take.
After graduating from Sanford High School in 2007, Cat lived a life far from the ordinary. Like the proverbial “cat with nine lives,” she had a life full of adventure, impulse, and a certain penchant for mischief. No matter where life led, or what kind of adversity she was facing, she never allowed herself to stay down long. She would redirect her intense energy to face the challenge head on and claw her way back up, no matter the depths she traveled. The driving force behind that resilience and determination to overcome any challenge was her greatest love in life, her son Zaivier. Together they enjoyed card games, baking, or just sharing funny pictures or text messages with each other. She dedicated time each week to make sure her presence was a constant in his life and that he knew how much she loved him and how much she was making efforts to be the mother he deserved.
If you ask any of her work family, they will all tell you Cat was dedicated to being a valued team member and was an extremely hard worker. She particularly loved being a CNA, a pharmacy technician, volunteering with Caring Unlimited, and most recently serving as a shift leader at Cumberland Farms.
The intensity of the way she lived her life mirrored the intensity in which she supported and loved her friends. She was the friend you could count on to be in your corner, judgment-free and with no expectations. She will be deeply missed by her family and her friends, and if there is any truth to the idea of nine lives, those who loved her can take some comfort in imagining she’s already figuring out how to make the most of the next one.
Predeceased by grandparents, Rita O’Meara, Patricia and Carlton “Mack” McDaniel, she is survived by her son, Zaivier Hensley, parents Thomas and Vicky O’Meara, sister Michelle Hackett and husband Matthew Jr.; nephews, Matthew III, Thomas, and Nathaniel Hackett and niece Shannon Hackett.
Funeral services were held at St Therese of Lisieux, on Tuesday, May 5. Burial followed immediately after at St Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.
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