Contributed

Cathy Lynn Whaley, a beloved faculty member within the ETSU Department of Literature and Language, died unexpectedly on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the age of 59.

Whaley was an ETSU alum and returned to teach at the university after earning her master’s degree in English from Clemson University.

“I have never known this department without Cathy. She had already been teaching here for several years when I arrived in 2010. She was a big presence, someone who filled a room with her voice and her stories, and with her care,” said Daniel Westover, chair of the Department of Literature and Language. “Cathy moved through the world in her own unmistakable way, full of energy and humor, and she made every interaction memorable. She loved her students and her colleagues deeply, and she dedicated herself fully to both.”

Whaley was a professor at ETSU for 20 years, impacting the lives of many students through her encouragement and passion for her career.

“When I was in high school and then college, she was there to encourage my growing interest in writing. That kind of support stays with you. In the past week, after she passed, I’ve heard so many similar stories from her friends and former students,” said Kevin Bonsor, one of Whaley’s cousins. “She was always there to support those around her to pursue their passions and achieve their goals. She was a great friend, an amazing professor and someone who left a lasting mark on the East Tennessee community.”

Several of Whaley’s previous students have similar stories of her encouragement for their growth as writers and the difference she made in their lives by going above and beyond. Even after their classes with her, she remained connected with many of them as a friend or mentor.

“When I think of my cousin Cathy, I think of a person with a personality larger than life. She never missed an opportunity to tell a story or share something, and most importantly, she would listen to your story,” said Kim Wells, another cousin of Whaley’s. “She has always been very passionate about family and her students. She has always taken so much pride in the colleges she attended but more importantly the friendships that she formed while attending and after graduation. Cultivating friendships, her tribe, has always been a big part of her life, as much as actual family.”

“When I was younger, we bonded over our love of sports, particularly baseball. Even though she was a Dodgers fan and I, a Yankees fan, we got along somehow. Sports kept us connected over the years even when our visits became further apart,” Bonsor said. “Our last chat was about March Madness and her annual bracket pool. It’s a small thing, but I’ll miss that.”

Whaley was known by many as “The Maven,” and her passion for literature, film, sports and her students’ success continually shone through in her interactions with others.

“She was a connoisseur of literature, of sports, of teaching, of life, and of Johnson City, a true connoisseur of this region. You just can’t replace somebody like that who grew up here, who loved this region, would walk around town, who was known, you know, in the local areas where she would hang out,” said Scott Honeycutt, professor in the Department of Literature and Language.

Whaley loved authors such as Joan Didion, Don DeLillo, Ralph Ellison and Hunter S. Thompson. She enjoyed collecting books and would often take a picture with her classes holding her copy of “Libra” by DeLillo at the end of each semester.

Whaley’s life left a distinctive impact on those who knew her, becoming an integral part of her communities within ETSU and the Johnson City area. Her memory continues to live on through the lives she impacted.

“Cathy was a natural storyteller, a true raconteur. A quick conversation with her was never quick; if she stopped by for ‘just a couple of minutes,’ you could count on a much longer visit filled with stories, laughter, sports references and memories of people she spoke about as if we all knew them,” Westover said. “Those moments, so full of life and flavor, are part of what made her such a distinctive and beloved presence.”

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