Obituary of Cattleya Laohasawatchai

Cattleya Laohasawatchai was born on January 14th, 1956 in Bangkok, the ninth of ten children. Her father and mother, Siewlai Seolao and Laolimsi Saelim, both born in 1917, emigrated from China to Thailand in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s. They worked hard to feed their growing family, first by supplying charcoal and eventually opening a textile factory. Cattleya attended Bangkok’s College of Commerce, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Finance and Banking Economics in 1979. She worked for a while in Bangkok for Unithai International Shipping. She travelled extensively, moved to Europe for a time, and finally ended up in Hawaii in 1999. There, in May 2004, she met Pierre Caron from Almonte, Ontario Canada, while he was working at the Infrasound Laboratory in Kona. They moved to Arlington VA in 2005 and after proposing marriage in Niagara Falls, NY, they were married on February 21, 2007 in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Sadly she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2009 and was treated for two years. In January 2011 she was strong enough to travel one last time to Thailand where she was fortunate to meet her family again and say her good-byes. She died peacefully on Saturday October 1st 2011, at age 55. She leaves behind her loving husband Pierre; her sisters Sudarat, Sudawan (deceased), Sudaporn, Sumanee; and brothers Surachat, Sreechai (deceased), Tanawat, Akkalak, and Somchai; and many nephews and nieces. Funeral services will be held October 5th from 6pm to 9pm at Advent Funeral Services, 7211 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations will be greatly appreciated to an organization of your choice.