Catherene Polk was born on February 7, 1945, to the parents of Russell and Leotha Polk. She was the third child of five children. She graduated from E.A. Kemp High School, class of 1963.  Later, she graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a Major in Education. She began teaching 4th-grade students in San Antonio, TX. She received her Master's Degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She worked 34 years in Education in San Antonio with many awards and degrees. The best award was the lovely students who learned a lot. The time came when she became homesick and decided to take down her diplomas and awards from the walls and move back to Bryan, Texas, where it all began.

She later worked at Neal Elementary for 14 years under the guidance of Mrs. Linda Asberry, a kind principal who cared deeply for the entire school system. Aunt Cat wrote her obituary, but she was humble and did not add that she originally went to the school to mentor and teach her great-nephews (Livander and Russell) and great-niece (Marnesha). She helped those three pass out of elementary school and stayed because of her love for children and education.

Catherene was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Robert and Russell Quence Polk, and a nephew, Booker T. Davenport. She leaves to cherish her precious memories her sisters, Gloria Polk Davenport and Ruby Faye Polk, nephew, Michael Polk Crummie; nieces, Raye Polk Stepney (Patrick), Felicia McMurry (Sidney), and Aisha Davenport Amos (Dexter); a special cousin-sister, Velma Lee Polk Allen; many great-nephews and great-nieces, and so many students that are now adults with children.