Natalie Gavin

Natalie was born Aug. 15, 1938, in Dunkirk, New York, the daughter of the late John and Catherine (Clarke) Woods. Natalie was a lifelong Dunkirk resident and member of Holy Trinity Church.

Natalie graduated from Dunkirk High School, Class of 1956. She graduated from Fredonia College in 1960 and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Secondary Social Studies in 1964.

Natalie met her husband Jerome at Fredonia State College, and they married on June 22,1963.

Natalie was a teacher in the Dunkirk Public School District and retired in 1999. She was also an Alternative Education Teacher at BOCES, teaching Conservation, Auto Mechanics and Welding classes. She was a teacher at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church and Holy Trinity Catholic School and spent many summers teaching summer school at Dunkirk High School and tutoring many students along the way. She was PTO President for Dunkirk School Number Five, Dunkirk Middle School and High School during the time her 4 children were in school. In 1983 she was awarded the New York State PTA Life Membership Award. She was also a Dunkirk High School Sports Booster, Dunkirk Little League Auxiliary President, Dunkirk Midget League Football Auxiliary member. Since 2002, she had been employed by the City of Dunkirk Police Department as a School Crossing Guard.

Preceding Natalie in death were her parents, John and Catherine Woods, her son Peter F. Gavin and her grandson, Nathaniel Gavin.

Natalie is survived by her husband of over 59 years Jerome F. Gavin; three children, Patrick (Gina) Gavin of Lee’s Summit, MO, Mary (Michael) Dupuis of Friendswood, TX, and Paul (Susan) Gavin of Biloxi, MS; eight grandchildren, Ryan, Kevin, and Matthew Dupuis, Nicole and Claire Gavin, Jayne Gavin, and Nicholas and John Gavin; four siblings, David Woods, Martha Christian, Michael (Mary) Woods, and Mark Woods; and several nieces and nephews and cousins.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. in Holy Trinity Church. Calling hours will be held Friday, Jan. 27, from 4-7 p.m. at the McGraw-Kowal Funeral Home. Burial will be in Holy Trinity Cemetery.