Cathryn Collard Finch Veltre, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026.

Cathryn was born on December 25, 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to George Earl Collard Sr. and Annie Rozella Collard. She was the youngest of eight siblings, growing up surrounded by a large and loving family. 

She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English. She was also a devoted, lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she enjoyed singing and held several callings throughout her life. 

She was first married to Richard Finch, with whom she shared three children: Doug, Suzanne, and Jennifer. Later, she married Robert Veltre, with whom she spent several years enjoying adventure and companionship. Cathryn had a deep appreciation for the beauty of the natural world, especially the Arizona desert, where she found joy in hiking and bird watching. She had a curious mind and a lifelong love of learning, which led her to study Spanish, challenge herself with puzzles, pottery and artwork, and explore new places through travel. She was also an enthusiastic sports fan who loved cheering for her Brigham Young University teams, the San Francisco Giants and the Phoenix Suns. 

Her greatest pride and joy, however, was her family. She was a devoted “Granny” to eight grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. She is survived by her older sister Carol Dixon; her children Doug (Dava) Finch, Suzanne Finch, and Jennifer Roberts; her 8 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Cathryn will be remembered for her adventurous spirit, her love of learning, and the deep care she showed to those around her. Her presence will be profoundly missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

A graveside service will be held for Cathryn at the Provo City Cemetery May 16th at 1:00 PM.