A good friend of my aunt's wrote this in hopes of having it shared at her Memorial. Sadly, this didn't reach my Grama until the service was over and everyone was gathered together afterwards.
It is from Kath's dear friend, Barb Chester. I hope she doesn't mind that I am sharing it now, with everyone.
Although this is a time of great sorrow, I cannot help but look back at years past and smile when I think of Kathey. What a personality she was! I met Kathey just before 1975 was ushered in and like all that knew her couldn't help but fall in love with her sense of humor, her intelligence and her compassion for all living things.
We were in our youth and the world was ours for the taking, every day was a new adventure, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, but the happy days far outnumbered the 'not so happy ones'.
I have such fond memories of dinners at Ev and Clayt's home and when Kathey and Ev taught me how to play 'Tonk' we laughed so hard sometimes and 80% of that laughter was always due to something Kathey had said to crack Ev and me up. Memories of warm sunny days at the family's cottage on the Auglaize and Kathey and I fishing and almost catching a huge catfish which we both agreed we were glad the fishing line broke because we didn't know what we would have done with a fish that was half our size.
Family was so important to Kathey, she had a deep and abiding love for her mom and dad, Jeannie, Nadine and Bud and she adored Tonya and David. She would get a special kind of look on her face when David was so little and he would ask "Aunt Kaffy" a question, there was no shortage of love in Kathey's heart and she showed it to everyone she loved and cared for.
Platform shoes and disco dancing and laughing till our sides hurt, dressing up for outdoor Halloween parties or having our 'Friday Night poker games' Kathey lived with zest, enthusiasm and the wonderment of a child at times.
I saw first-hand how much Kathey cared for her patients at St. V's when she worked in the oncology unit and I could always tell she had lost a patient because it showed on her face. She became very attached to those she cared for, she was not the type to 'leave work at work' she would invite some of her patients who were doing better or in remissions to the house just to visit, have a cup of coffee and talk. Sadly, and all too often when I would ask her how so-and-so was doing it wasn't always good news and we both would feel we lost a good friend. I ofthen wondered how she coped with that kind of loss on a sometimes daily basis. One patient in particular she had was Devon McLoughlin, the daughter Lamont McLoughlin, of one of Channel 11's newscasters years ago, Devon was 25 years old and Kathey's patient. When Devon passed, Kathey broke down and cried as if she had lost a family member, that's how big her heart was.
I don't know why good people get taken away from us far too soon, I guess none of us really know the answer to that but they do, and the empty space they leave behind never gets filled in, it may grow smaller with the passing of time but it never goes away, I know my empty space for Kathey will be with me always, but more importantly, the memories which are the sum of our days is what I keep with me and I know that even though now I can't hold back tears, at some future time I will be able to think about Kathey and the smile will come easy.
Barb Chester
Thank you, Barb, so much for sharing such wonderful memories with us. Kath still lives and her love lives as well! I feel it daily!!
I love you, Kath!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Enjoyed your visit!
Kath, I just have say, I really have enjoyed your last few visits. It was so wonderful to see you in my dreams and laugh like we used to do! Gosh! How I have missed our laughs! You've looked absolutely wonderful to these tired eyes!! I know you must already know how much I've missed you and how much your first visit made the grief so new again... But I'm so grateful you didn't give up on me. For now when you visit my dreams they ease the ache. It's been a few weeks since your last visit. I'm sure you have been with Grama. She sure needed your comforting presence. She was so scared to go thru this surgery without you. But you gave her strength, I know you did. I've been missing you lately. I hope you'll visit again real soon! I love you, Kath!!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Almost One Year...
We're coming up on one year without you, Kath. They say "time heals all pain"; we all wait for the pain to heal as the time continues to pass us by. It's been a hard year without you. Every turn brings a reminder wishing you were here with us.
You passed the day after Grama turned 79 -- you lived to tell her you love her. What a blessing that has been to her!
Grama moved back home to the snowy state. She took you with her. I miss you both so much. I talk to Grama as much as my weary brain will let me. Sometimes its late when I remember and so I forgot and try to remember to call the next evening. I miss our evening visits. Of course I talk to you more often - I'm thankful for the times you visit me in my dreams and talk to me then. I especially thank you for bringing Grampa with you last week. I was so wonderful to visit with you both! I love you both so much and miss you greatly!
As you know, Tiff and Cody became engaged during the summer and married in November. They are so happy with one another. I couldn't have hand picked a better partner for her, Kath, as you well know. We talked about it before you had to leave us. He's very good to her and she's good to him from what I can tell. I hope they continue to find happiness and peace with one another always and forever.
Buddy and Shan are living next to us. I know that isn't what you wanted, Kath, but it seems to be working out for them. It allows me to stay close to Bud. Though they are right next to us, it may be a week or more - sometimes 2 weeks - before I see him. But I am able to see how they are doing. It's allowed me to have more of a relationship with them than I would have had otherwise, which I am grateful for. We hope to be selling the trailer to Bud and Shan by Spring.
We miss you, Kath. I love you so much!! I hope you'll always listen to me and that you'll still come by and visit once in awhile.
Love,
Ton
You passed the day after Grama turned 79 -- you lived to tell her you love her. What a blessing that has been to her!
Grama moved back home to the snowy state. She took you with her. I miss you both so much. I talk to Grama as much as my weary brain will let me. Sometimes its late when I remember and so I forgot and try to remember to call the next evening. I miss our evening visits. Of course I talk to you more often - I'm thankful for the times you visit me in my dreams and talk to me then. I especially thank you for bringing Grampa with you last week. I was so wonderful to visit with you both! I love you both so much and miss you greatly!
As you know, Tiff and Cody became engaged during the summer and married in November. They are so happy with one another. I couldn't have hand picked a better partner for her, Kath, as you well know. We talked about it before you had to leave us. He's very good to her and she's good to him from what I can tell. I hope they continue to find happiness and peace with one another always and forever.
Buddy and Shan are living next to us. I know that isn't what you wanted, Kath, but it seems to be working out for them. It allows me to stay close to Bud. Though they are right next to us, it may be a week or more - sometimes 2 weeks - before I see him. But I am able to see how they are doing. It's allowed me to have more of a relationship with them than I would have had otherwise, which I am grateful for. We hope to be selling the trailer to Bud and Shan by Spring.
We miss you, Kath. I love you so much!! I hope you'll always listen to me and that you'll still come by and visit once in awhile.
Love,
Ton
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