In Loving Memory of Cathleen Drinan

The Town of Halifax is mourning the death of Cathleen Drinan.  Cathy was the Health Agent in the Town from 2000 to 2020, but even before that she organized and ran a Docent Art program at the Halifax Elementary School.

Through the Docent Art Program, she got to know many parents.  She ran this program for Halifax for over 25 years.  She brought art into the classrooms for hundreds of children and let them experience the beauty and how art made them feel.  She was an artist who believed that art could be used to make the world a better place. In the Docent program, art was used in therapeutical ways to help ease stress and anxiety or just to bring a sense of peace and accomplishment to the participants. Cathy made it her personal goal to make sure this program thrived and offered students an outlet for their creative juices.

Cathy became the Health Agent in Halifax in March of 2000.  She took these responsibilities very seriously; she attended many workshops and classes so that she would be able to do her job to the best of her abilities.  She became a soil evaluator and learned all the workings of a septic system.  She was Serve Safe certified to better perform kitchen inspections.  She even studied and became a registered sanitarian, which is a very difficult certification to achieve, in order to do her job better. She was also involved in our recycling program and the Monponsett Pond Watershed program.

Cathy worked with installers, engineers, food establishments and many others to insure the public health in the Town of Halifax.  Her no nonsense attitude, capped off with a bit of humor and humility made her relationship with the many installers and inspectors she worked with, one that was appreciated by all.  She did not always make the most popular decisions, but she always had the best interest of the Town in mind.

Cathy was also a regular contributor to the local newspaper. She wrote columns regularly on all sorts of topics. They were not just focused on her extensive knowledge as a Board of Health agent, but also on topics such as friendship, loss, creativity, addiction, and in finding the beauty in the world around us. She was known to give shout outs to residents and coworkers alike, who had inspired her or contributed positively to the community around them.

Cathy was a beloved mother and grandmother and was extremely proud of her family.  She was a loyal and supportive friend and colleague.  Her willingness to listen, her eagerness to help where she could, and her ability to smile in some of the toughest of times, will never be forgotten. Always willing to help with the holiday decorations, join in a potluck, and share a good laugh (sometimes even at her own expense) she will always be remembered for the many ways she gave of herself.  She was taken too soon, and we will miss her dearly.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her children and grandchildren, and we hope that she now rests peacefully and that the beauty she saw in art, surrounds her now.