Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is pleased to introduce you to the Furman Family: Kevin, Cate, Gerard, Everett and Willa. Life for this active family of five is filled with love and laughter, in a home grounded in community and tradition.
Kevin’s early years unfolded right here in Newtown Square with his parents, his sister, Melissa and his brother, Frank. He attended Culbertson Elementary School and Paxon Hollow Middle School, forming lifelong friendships and discovering a love for sports. Baseball, soccer and wrestling filled much of his time and created some of his fondest childhood memories. He was especially active at NELL during his younger years, a place he still holds close to his heart. After graduating from Marple Newtown High School in 2005, Kevin continued his athletic journey by playing baseball at Ursinus College, where he studied exercise science.
His path eventually led him into law enforcement, beginning with the Philadelphia Police Department before ultimately bringing him back home to serve with the Newtown Township Police Department. “Working in the same community where I grew up adds a special meaning to my service,” Kevin said. “When your work is also your home, you are really invested in making it the best community it can be.”
Cate grew up not far from Kevin, though their paths would not cross until years later. She lived in Springfield alongside her older sister, Clare, and spent her school years at Scenic Hills Elementary, E.T. Richardson Middle School and Springfield High School. She was active in student government and dedicated herself to competitive Irish dancing. After high school, she attended the University of Scranton, graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences. Her time at Scranton was jampacked! In addition to her studies, Cate played club rugby, joined student government, participated in international and domestic service trips and was active in campus ministry.
Recognizing her calling to work in health care, Cate stayed an additional year to complete the university’s five-year program and earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2010. Today, Cate works in adult neuro rehabilitation and serves as adjunct faculty in a local graduate OT program. “My work truly feels like a calling,” Cate ex- plained. “It’s amazing to be able to use my knowledge to help people after a catastrophic injury or illness. I am constantly marveling at the resilience of the people and families I work with.”
Although Kevin and Cate grew up near each other, it was mutual friends who brought them together in early 2012. After college, both were living with friends in Conshohocken. They were recruited separately to join a recreational dodgeball team, and while neither expected anything unusual to come from a casual league, the connection between them formed quickly. Dodgeball led to kickball, and soon conversations and shared experiences built something neither expected at the time.
By the time they became engaged in October of 2014, they had created a relationship built on trust, humor and genuine companionship. “We were enjoying life, living in the Fairmont section of Philadelphia, and Kevin proposed to me in our living room,” Cate recalled. One year later, on October 10, 2015, they were married at St. Norbert’s, followed by a reception at Springton Manor Farm. They still laugh about choosing such an easy-to-remember date because Cate wanted to make sure Kevin would never forget it. They began their married life in Fairmount, enjoying the perks of walking to work, exploring restaurants and making the most of city life. Cate particularly loved her daily walk to work, which became a peaceful and cherished part of her routine.
When Cate became pregnant with their first child, the couple knew they wanted a different environment to raise their family.
Kevin had accepted a position with the Newtown Township Police Department, and the idea of living in the same community where he served sounded like a very special opportunity. They began looking for homes, and in August 2017, they moved to the Florida Park neighborhood of Newtown Square. Cate had grown up in Springfield, and Kevin’s family remained in the area, so the move brought them closer to relatives as well as to the sense of community they hoped to build for their children.
Today, the Furman home is filled with the lively energy of three uniquely spirited children. Gerard, who is eight and attends Culbertson Elementary School, blends a love of sports with a passion for the arts. He has participated in NELL baseball, MNSA soccer, Marple Jr. Tigers wrestling and Gaelic Football with the Donegal Philadelphia GAA team. He is a Scout in Pack 315 and is part of this year’s wolf den. But his greatest joy comes from creative pursuits. “Gerard is constantly drawing, sculpting with clay, folding origami or writing and illustrating his own books,” Cate said. “He also loves playing piano and composing his own music.”
Everett, age six, also attends Culbertson and shares his brother’s love of sports but expresses it with unmistakable intensity. He plays NELL baseball, MNSA soccer, Marple Jr. Tigers wrestling, and Gaelic Football with Donegal Philadelphia GAA. Everett is also part of the tiger den in Pack 315 and approaches every challenge with enthusiasm and grit. He has boundless energy, often found climbing something or tossing a baseball into the air in the yard. “Everett is a committed fan of Philadelphia sports teams,” Kevin said. “At just six years old, he’s already your typical Philly sports guy – completely devastated when they lose and absolutely euphoric when they win!”
Four-year-old Willa brings her own bright presence to the family. She attends Newtown Square Presbyterian Church preschool and f ills her schedule with dance at From the Top, gymnastics, soccer and Gaelic Football in the summer. “She began talking VERY early and has not slowed down since!” laughed Cate. “She is outgoing, joyful and incredibly funny.” Willa loves supporting her big brothers and often insists on wearing their team colors to cheer them on.
The Furmans do not currently have any pets, much to the disappointment of their children, though the activity level in the home already matches that of a household with a few furry companions. What they do have is a neighborhood they treasure. Florida Park is a close-knit community where children ride bikes around the loop, neighbors watch out for one another and spontaneous conversations take place every day. Cate and Kevin appreciate the support, warmth and genuine connections that fill their street. Their neighbors welcome their children into their yards and sometimes into their homes, and the friendships that have grown there feel like an extension of their family.
Extended family remains an important part of their lives as well. Kevin’s parents still live in the home where he grew up, his brother lives in Malvern with his family, and his sister lives with her husband and children in Silver Spring, Maryland. Cate’s parents live in Exton and Elverson, and her sister lives in Fishtown with her husband and two sons. The extended Furman family travels to the Outer Banks together every summer, creating memories that span generations.
This past summer the family traveled to Ireland with Cate’s father and her sister’s family. Cate’s dad was born and raised in Northern Ireland and moved to the United States in 1982, but his extended family still lives there. The trip allowed Gerard, Everett and Willa to meet relatives, explore the landscape that shaped their grandfather’s childhood and experience Irish culture firsthand. “Being Irish is a huge part of our family’s culture,” explained Cate. “It was really special to see our kids make that real-world connection.” T he trip was a meaningful journey that deepened their understanding of their heritage and created memories that they will always treasure.
At home, the Furmans live by a motto that comes up often in their conversations. “We remind our kids that we are all on the same team,” Kevin and Cate explained. “We encourage our kids to be each other’s loudest cheerleaders for an accomplishment and biggest supporter in harder times.” The phrase Teamwork Makes the Furman Dream Work, is heard frequently around their home. They also teach their children to value process over outcome, believing that resilience, effort and a positive mindset will carry them farther than any trophy or a big win.
Cate and Kevin’s story is one of connection, community and enduring values. They built their foundation slowly and intentionally, shaped by childhoods in nearby towns, a chance meeting through friends and a shared vision for the kind of family they hoped to create. Today, those hopes shine brightly in their home in Newtown Square, where their roots continue to deepen and their story continues to grow.
Know a Newtown Square family, individual or group who should be better known by everyone in our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.