Catherine Constance Hood

Catherine Constance Hood, 86, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away on June 21, 2026, after a period of declining health.

She was born on September 27, 1939, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, to Louis Catania and Angeline Presti.

Catherine married her high school sweetheart, Charles Hood, in May of 1962. Together, they raised their four children in Concord, New Hampshire, where they resided for more than 30 years before moving to South Carolina in 2005. They lived in the Palmetto State until 2025 before relocating to Jacksonville, Florida, to be closer to family for health reasons.

After graduating high school in 1957, Catherine became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), training at Holy Ghost Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her nursing career spanned nearly 20 years, focusing on hospice and geriatric care.

Catherine’s roots in New England created a deep love for the ocean and its creatures. This love grew into a passion that was never far from her heart during her nursing career. Catherine returned to school, earning an Associate in Arts from Merrimack Valley College through the University System of New Hampshire in May 1982. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire in Durham in 1985. In 1987, she studied Caribbean Marine Ecology with Jean-Michel Cousteau and his staff through the Cousteau Society's Project Ocean Search in the British Virgin Islands. Catherine continued her education at Harvard University, earning a Master of Science in Marine Biology in 1990, with a thesis that focused on cultured clownfish. She completed her academic journey with a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Mammals and Human Interactions from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2000, with a dissertation that examined the threats to harbor porpoises posed by unintentional capture in the gillnet fisheries of the Northwest Atlantic.

Throughout her academic career, Catherine received numerous scholarships and awards, held memberships in professional marine science societies, and held teaching positions and lectureships, contributing publications, presentations, and reports to her field. She was instrumental in working on practical solutions to complex marine issues and thereby helped ensure the long-term survival of multiple marine species. The realization of her dream to study and teach marine science was a culmination of Catherine’s determination and strength of character. She credited the unwavering support she received from family and friends as a main factor in her achievements.

In addition to her professional work, Catherine was a woman of deep faith and her faith led her to take action that focused on helping those who are most vulnerable. She was very dedicated to efforts to save the unborn, becoming very active in programs that helped young mothers understand all their options and to choose life for their babies. She and her husband were also engaged in efforts to provide meals for individuals experiencing homelessness, both in New Hampshire and South Carolina. A longtime, active parishioner of Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church in Columbia, South Carolina, Catherine was a member of the Third Order Secular Franciscans, served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, Eucharistic Adoration Coordinator, Welcome Committee Chair, and was a member of their St. Vincent de Paul Society and Parish Council.

Catherine is survived by her husband of 64 years, Charles K. Hood, Sr.; her sons Scott Hood (Sarah) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Charles K. Hood, Jr. (Carol) of Aiken, South Carolina, and Brian Hood (Caroline) of Jacksonville, Florida; her daughter Catherine Ann Hood-Pittenger (Gary) of Clayton, North Carolina; her grandchildren Matthew Pittenger, Melanie Goodman, Timothy Hood-Pittenger, and Christian Hood; her three great-grandchildren, Elyse and Nathaniel Goodman and Bowen Pittenger; her sister Constance Horan of Newport, Rhode Island; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family who loved her dearly.

Her fervently lived faith, deep love for her family and friends, and inspiring educational legacy makes it difficult to think about a world without her in it. The blessings she leaves behind with her church community, family, friends, and the marine science world will continue to be a navigational beacon of inspiration and joy for generations. She will forever be missed and cherished.

A Funeral Mass and Inurnment will be held at Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church in Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 10:00 am. In honor of Catherine's love of the ocean and marine life, the family suggests attendees wear shades of blue.

Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church, 120 Marydale Lane, Columbia, SC 29210. 

Whitaker Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Catherine Hood.