Catalina U. Fazzano

Catalina Fazzano

June 24, 1953 - January 31, 2021

Born and raised in Bogota Colombia, Catalina Fazzano, age 67, was the oldest of six children of Adiela Bernate de Uribe and Alberto Uribe Henao.  She was an avid equestrian who enjoyed spending time on the family farm with her siblings, Alejandro, Ana Maria, Cristina, Clara Lucia, and Jorge.  In 1975, she came to Burlington, Vermont as a Fulbright scholar to pursue a Psychology PhD.  There she met her husband of 42 years, Francis John Fazzano, Jr. (“Skip”).  They married in 1978 and after a few years in Virginia for Skip’s residency, settled in Coral Springs, Florida.  Catalina was a fiercely loving mother of two daughters, Alicia Castro and Adriana Ficano.  She introduced her daughters to horseback riding at a young age, and spent countless early mornings and weekends with them at the barn.  Catalina loved to travel.  A competitive swimmer, she travelled internationally to compete in U.S. Masters Swimming meets.  And on her last trip before her diagnosis, she explored the American west’s national parks.

Catalina was devoted to family.  She referred to her three grandchildren, Trip (4), Daniela (2), and Penelope (1), as “life’s dessert.”  She never missed a single extended family wedding or major life event.  She was a role model of what it means to put family first.  She supported her husband, her daughters, her sons-in-law David and Juan Pablo, and her grandchildren.  When her younger daughter, Adriana, faced her own battle with cancer, Catalina, on a moments’ notice moved her entire life to Houston, Texas to help care for Adriana and Daniela, her granddaughter, while Adriana underwent treatment at MD Anderson.  Shortly after Adriana’s treatment was complete, Catalina returned to Houston to begin her own cancer battle.  She faced cancer bravely and with grace.  It was not uncommon for nurses, upon seeing her, to remark that they couldn’t believe she was even sick.  Catalina truly made the most of her last year, and in a time when it would have been understandable to focus on herself, was always focused on her family first.  She came to every possible swim lesson, Sunday get-together, birthday, and holiday with her grandchildren in Houston.  Catalina succumbed to her disease, acute myeloid leukemia, surrounded by her husband and daughters in the comfort of her Houston home on January 31, 2021.

Catalina is survived by her husband Skip Fazzano, her daughter Alicia Castro and spouse David Castro Jr. and grandchildren David Castro III (“Trip”) and Penelope Castro, and her daughter Adriana Ficano and spouse Juan Pablo Ficano and granddaughter Daniela Ficano, as well as her siblings, Alejandro Uribe, Ana Maria Uribe, Cristina Uribe, Clara Lucia Uribe, and Jorge Uribe.

A private funeral service honoring the life of Catalina will be held at 10:00AM, Friday, February 5, 2021 at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Coral Springs, Florida. The service will also be livestreamed for the benefit of anyone who may not be able to attend in-person.

Memorial contributions, if desired, can be made “In Memory of Catalina Fazzano” to Dan’s House of Hope, a home away from home for young adults receiving care at Houston’s nationally acclaimed Texas Medical Center hospitals. www.danshouseofhope.org. 

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