Laura Catherine “Cathy” Guzzardo

Born November 24th, 1950 in Gainesville, GA to Bascome Lavonia Osborne and Dorothy Catherine Hudgens, and survived by her husband Guy Gregory Guzzardo of 42 years of marriage. Additionally, she is survived by her daughter Jan Frisch-Strickland, 54; her son Jason Guzzardo, 40; her granddaughter Destiny Threadgill, 32; grandson Luke Guzzardo, 8; grandson Samuel Guzzardo, 3; her great-grandson Braxton Moss, 10; and great-granddaughter Addison Moss, 8.

Best known as Cathy to her family and close friends, she loved her family dearly and had a passion to talk with people in a way that made you always feel wanted and important. Cathy recalls her favorite pastime was sitting at the creek, eating watermelon, and reflecting on the simple things life has to offer us despite having to grow up quickly and help raise her younger siblings Melvin Osborne and Jane Allison after the passing of her mother when she was very young. Whether it was working at a waffle house to make ends meet, winning a multitude of sales awards, or being in charge of the floor remodel of Coca-Cola–Atlanta, the US Department of Justice–Macon, the US Post Office–Washington, DC, the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport, Fulton County Schools, and Dekalb County Schools, she was coined as one of the most successful furniture saleswomen in Georgia Business history. She started her successful sales career at S.P Richards Paper Company, then 10 years with Express Office Products. She then started her own successful business, C.G. Associates, and was eventually recruited by the Freeman Family, with whom she worked and retired after 50 plus years of sales. Cathy never let adversity or a challenge derail her drive and fought her whole life to prove to everyone she was a winner and could be successful her own way. And no matter where you came from or who you represented, her clients all respected Cathy for her personalized-exceptional service and her caring nature. She accredits many people placed in her life for her successes and specifically reflects on her greatest influence, Mrs. Hazel Roberts. In addition, she loved her close friends Mrs. Cheryl Neily, Mrs. Shelly Prather, Mrs. Carol, and Bill Devaney, Mrs. Sherloyn Gregory, and Mrs. Claire Simpson. She has always been truly grateful to the Slide Family for their connection as a 2nd family and Mrs. Regina Slide for sponsoring her through the holy sacraments. Cathy’s love for the Guzzardo Family was second to none, family members such as Guy Gus Guzzardo, Gwen Kidd, Barbara Toural, and Jackie “JuJu” Guzzardo Bergeron all helped shape her life and values.

During the summer of 1978, she met her surviving husband Greg Guzzardo on the beaches of Panama City! She was wooed by Greg’s dance moves, rhythm, and his loving family, which led to their marriage in September of 1980. They moved from Baton Rouge, Louisiana in June of 1980 to the northeast suburbs of Atlanta and established their family with her daughter Jan Frisch-Strickland from her previous marriage and gave birth to their only son Jason Guzzardo in November of 1981. During the early years of her marriage, she spent most of her time establishing her sales career while also making time to visit her family in Louisiana often and traveling to the serenity of the North Georgia Mountains. A trip to Disney World with family members from Louisiana in the late 80s began her love to travel and sightsee places she never thought she would be able to visit in her lifetime. Her love to travel allowed her to travel as far North as Alaska, as far south as Aruba, and everywhere in between as long as they had Pinot Grigio! Accompanying these great travels were travels to the beach; her tradition upon arrival was to put her feet in the sand and take a finger taste of the ocean water. This was always a simple reminder to her that life was good! She always loved Biloxi and the Gulf Shores of Mississippi as it gave her the best of both worlds. The beach reminded her of the blissful nature of the world, but the clinging of the slot machine was her vacation passion! Whether it was playing the passed down tradition of the Double Diamond or finding the elusive Penny Machine, she loved playing alongside her close family members and friends the most. From the 90s to the early 2000s she got to experience it all from successes in business, to family gatherings and travel. Cathy highlighted during this time that her husband, children, and grandchild all obtained diplomas and degrees which gave her a huge sense of pride and accomplishment as she always worked hard to ensure her family had the opportunities she never had. Accompanying this period of time in Cathy's life, her faith and marriage to Greg deepened even more after she successfully completed the holy sacraments with the Catholic Church and was re-married to Greg into the Catholic Church in September of 2003. As Cathy and Greg became empty-nesters, Cathy’s most enjoyable time was spent listening to Elvis Presley and Percy Sledge on her screen patio, enjoying a glass of wine, and talking to close friends and family on her cordless phone until the battery died. She was also able to check many items off her bucket list including riding 140 mph around the Daytona International Speedway and seeing the Yosemite National Forest in California. Cathy loved the mornings and evenings as she watched the many birds she welcomed to her yard. Fittingly in 2012, her nest began to have new visitors as her granddaughter Destiny, and her son Jason brought her the greatest gifts she could ever ask for with the birth of Braxton, Luke, Addison, and Samuel. With her heart full and time to spoil her new joyfulness, she focused all of her time and energy on the precious moments she experienced with all of them until the end.

On November 3rd, 1989 Cathy’s daughter Jan Frish-Strickland gave birth to her first grand-child Destiny Threadgill. Smitten by this little girl, she made it her goal to encourage her to achieve her goals and dreams and would be with her every step of the way. Cathy’s favorite times with Destiny were spent with hours of shopping and having her style her hair on the weekends. The events between the years 2012 and 2014 were some of her most joyful times as she was blessed with her son, Jason, getting married to his middle school sweetheart Shelby, the birth of a grandchild, and two great-grandchildren. In January of 2012, Cathy was blessed with her first great-grandson, Destiny’s son Braxton Moss. In September of the same year, she celebrated her son Jason’s marriage to Shelby. In December of 2013 her grandson Luke Guzzardo was born, Jason and Shelby Guzzardo’s firstborn son. In June of 2014, her great-granddaughter was gifted to her world, Destiny’s daughter Addison Moss. Five years later in March of 2019, her legacy was completed with the birth of her grandson Samuel Guzzardo, Jason, and Shelby’s second son. Cathy’s ultimate legacy resides in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as she always did whatever it took to protect and provide them with every opportunity she never had growing up.

The funeral mass celebrating the life of Laura Catherine Guzzardo will be held Monday, May 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Ingram Funeral Home, 210 Ingram Ave, Cumming, GA is in charge of arrangements