Catherine Chastain, R.I.P.

This week marks a significant passing for the Dallas real estate community with the loss of Catherine Chastain, a brilliant mind in the real estate marketing realm, who helped many an agent sell a property with her innate skills and creativity. Catherine passed earlier this week after battling a long illness.

She was adored and revered by colleagues and friends for her sharp mind, devotion, and passion for life.

Chastain owned her own marketing and design firm, Chastain & Company, which she kept going for 25 years. She spent many years as the creative director at Allie Beth Allman & Associates. I knew her most recently at Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, where she helped Dave and his team of agents market luxury listings..

Agents tell me Catherine also was as much a whiz in the kitchen as she was public relations, and well known for luscious baked goods — edible works of art, really, which showed up regularly in DPM kitchens.

 

“When I needed someone to take the reins of our marketing, I brought in Catherine,” says Dave Perry-Miller. “It proved one of 

my best hiring decisions ever, as the brand achieved record-setting years under her skillful guidance. She is one of a handful of people I’ve ever met who always did more than she was asked, and had a strength, passion, and unswerving positivity that yielded admiration from all who knew her.”

 

Palm Springs (and sometimes Dallas) agent Mark Godson says Catherine made the cake for his wedding, and was by his side for his partner’s memorial. Catherine, he says, fought so hard to live to the very end.

“I will miss her wonderful baking, her incredible artistic skills,” he says, “but most of all I will miss the kindest, most unselfish lady I had the  pleasure to call my friend.”

The memorial service and reception for Catherine Chastain will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Avenue, Dallas.