Catherine Knox

Catherine (Cathy) Wilharm Knox was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 7th, 1963 and passed away at her long-time home in Belle Isle, Florida on October 26th, 2025. She was surrounded by her family, including her husband of 38 years Ben Knox and their three children - Parker (Morgan), Morgan (Rob Ford), and Dillon (Jessica).

Cathy grew up in a family of 6 in the small village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, the daughter of Jack and Joan Wilharm and beloved older sister to Laura (Fricke), Julie (Clark), and John Wilharm. After graduating high school in 1981, Cathy attended Hillsdale College in Michigan.

Upon graduation from Hillsdale in 1985, Cathy's adventurous personality had her move to Orlando, FL to accept a job with the recently opened SeaWorld of Orlando. While her uncle (Richard Weaver) helped Cathy with the move, she quickly charted her own path and ultimately was offered and accepted a higher role with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)'s Orlando office as their Events and Marketing Manager.

Cathy married Ben Knox of Orlando on November 7, 1987, and together they became the proud parents of 3 children - Parker (1989), Morgan (1990), and Dillon (1994). For nearly four decades, Cathy poured her heart into raising her three children and nurturing countless young learners. Supporting her family and community came naturally to her, and she embraced every opportunity to create joyful and memorable school experiences. Whether serving as a room parent, guiding field trips, or rallying support for high school sporting events, she was always there, giving generously of her time and enthusiasm. Cathy was a beloved figure at The Christ School and Boone High School, where her presence brought comfort, laughter, and connection to students, parents, and faculty alike. In the early 2000's, she found a cherished home at The Weekday School as a pre-school teacher, a role she held with great pride until her retirement in the fall of 2024. Her gentle spirit and hands-on approach shaped the early years of hundreds of children, leaving a legacy of curiosity, compassion, and joy.

More recently, Cathy has been blessed to serve as an active grandparent to her two beautiful grandchildren - Cece and Clay (Ford), for which she is known affectionally as Sunny.

Cathy embodied the best of how we can treat others - always with kindness and empathy, and most certainly always with a positive attitude. She will be dearly missed by her family, community, long-time co-workers, and all that knew her. Service arrangements will be finalized in the weeks to come.

In Cathy's honor, her family would appreciate that any donations would be made to her beloved The Weekday School - donations can be made online via the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando website at the following link, in the honor of Cathy Knox / for The Weekday School: https://www.fpco.org/give.