Columbia, SC – Cate Elizabeth Cardinale, 33, died at home on August 21, 2025, after courageously battling cancer for over two years. She was born on February 9th, 1992, in Red Bank, New Jersey, and was a member of Riverside Community Church in Columbia, SC.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, September 19, 2025 at Riverside Community Church, 2925 Devine Street, Columbia, SC.
Cate is survived by her parents, Carl and Betty (Roberts) Cardinale; sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Andrew Moretz; brother and sister-in-law, Anthony and Grace Cardinale; and nieces Avery and Sydney Moretz and Sophia Cardinale.
Cate graduated High School from London Academy in May of 2010. She then attended Erskine University in Due West, SC, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Information Technology. She was a Co-Valedictorian, played NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer, was president of Omicron Delta Kappa, and was elected Homecoming Queen in 2013. She also served as chair of the Judicial Council, delegation chair of the SC Student Legislature, and leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Cate continued her studies at the University of South Carolina School of Law, graduating magna cum laude in May 2017. During law school, Cate served on the Law Review Editorial Board and as Law Clerk to the SC House of Representatives. She received many awards during this time including Order of the Wig and Robe, Order of the Coif, CALI awards for legal writing, President’s Honor Roll, and the 2017 Compleat Lawyer Bronze Award, which recognized her potential to be an outstanding attorney. Cate studied for and passed the SC Bar examination and was administered the oath of office in November 2017.
With her unwavering integrity and passion for the rule of law, it seemed there was never any question Cate would use her legal training to serve her community at the highest levels. Following law school, Cate completed federal judicial clerkships for The Honorable Joseph Anderson of the District of South Carolina (2017-18) and The Honorable A. Marvin Quattlebaum of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (2018-19). In 2019, Cate moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as a trial attorney in the Torts Branch of the Department of Justice Civil Division through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Three years later, Cate returned to her beloved city of Columbia, South Carolina, where she served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice from 2022-2025.
Cate was a brilliant and accomplished attorney, but she was also a treasured daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. One of Cate’s favorite titles was “Aunt Cate,” and she cherished being a part of her nieces’ lives. Cate loved bringing people together, whether for a meal in her home or for a ski trip out West. Her independent spirit led her to value relationships with others whose viewpoints differed from hers, and she enjoyed the challenge and the beauty of finding common ground. Incredibly perceptive and thoughtful, Cate had a special ability to make others feel uniquely seen, known, and encouraged, even in the midst of her own suffering. Over the last two years, Cate continued to embrace life with her characteristic tenacity and enthusiasm: she moved into her own home, planted a garden, traveled the world, introduced friends to her favorite comedians and sports teams (Carolina Panthers and Manchester United), volunteered at the local animal shelter, went surfing, and took her purple bike on rides with friends. Through her life, Cate touched and will continue to touch countless lives in countless ways, big and small.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Innocence Project: https://www.georgiainnocenceproject.org/act/donate/ or to Riverside Community Church: https://riversidecommunitychurch.org/give/