Remberance for Katharine

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Whether you know her as Kay or Katharine, depends on when she first came into your life.  She's always been Katharine to me, but that's because I belong to her Lindsey family.

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Katharine had more families that can easily be counted.  She was integral member of each and every one.  Today we come together to support each other and share in her love.

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Katharine was 'peanut' or pepperpot' to her father Kenneth and her mother Agnes; Kay to her sister Ann and brother Allan and all her childhood friends.  Later, brother-in-law Milt. and sister-in-law Veronica called her Kay too.

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When she married Rick, her Lewis family also called her Kay.

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To Karen, Stephanie, Bruce and Janet Keddy and Ryan Everett, she was 'Auntie Kay'.

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In her own family, John and Chris call her 'Mom', of course, while Jennifer and Ian call her Kay.  Cameron and Chloe know and love her as 'Grammy'.

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Katharine's volunteer family has many members, from the Beavers and Boy Scouts, to the Shearwater East District Minor Hockey Association, her bowling league, the Dartmouth Seniors Center and here at St. Andrew's. She was variously known as 'Kay', Katharine', 'Friend', 'Confidante', 'helper', 'Team-mate', and sometimes, just plain 'god-send.  She was recognized many times over for her dedication.

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A little over 21 years ago, Kay became known as Katharine, when she met and married in her own words, 'the love of my life', Cal Lindsey.  My brother Kevin, my sister Monica and our spouses, Terri, Robin and Rick all called her Katharine.  Her Lindsey grandchildren, Meghan, Liam, Anne and James call her 'Bubby' as will her great-grandson Asher, when we tell him stories about her.

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So, by whatever name you knew her, today we remember the woman

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Katharine loved all animals, most particularly dogs, but all animals.  Except cats of course!

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She loved every form of needle craft, from knitting and crocheting to needle point and sewing.  Countless dollars have been raised through the sales of her handiwork.

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She loved to drive sports cars and the more complicated the shift, the better.  She told my dad that she wanted to buy a Volkswagen convertible this year.  And if they didn't, then she'd rent one for the summer.

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She loved English and Scottish history and was an avid reader.  Few things gave her greater joy than a quiet afternoon, a book to read and a bit (or a lot) of chocolate.

Katharine adored her boys and her grandchildren. Full stop.

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She loved to dance and anything from the 40s, 50s and 60s was fair game.  More than once, she and Cal were interrupted in the kitchen, dancing to the radio.

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To quote someone who knew her well, 'she had a wicked sense of humour'.  But Katharine was also a very private person, so you had to know her well before she'd let you see it.  This privacy also meant that you wouldn't know of her troubles.  She's always ask about yours, but wouldn't burden you with hers.

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Her sister Ann says Katharine was very clever.  She said, in fact, that she was the cleverer of two.  She also says that Katharine was a lady, at all times and in every sense of the word.

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These are the things that others said about Katharine, but what did she say about herself?

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Well, how about ' I can't sing', until she joined the choir and found her 'older' soprano voice.

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And 'I can't speak in public', until she joined the Dartmouth Seniors' Centre and joined the board of directors.

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She often believed she couldn't until she did.  Maybe there's a lesson for all of us in that.

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But her most poignant statement about her life was told to her friend Katherine Larter on many occasions.  Her marriage to my father Cal was 'my greatest gift because he lets me be myself, exactly who I am.'

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This morning Katharine, Kay, Mom, Auntie, and Grammy and Bubby, we remember exactly who you were and the gift you were in our lives.   We pray for you and know that you now watch over us. 

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                                                                                    Monica