Thursday, December 17, 2020
Kathleen Marie Slaunwhite
Today I sit here and write to you about an amazing lady. I she was a wonderful wife, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to many of us. I’m going to tell you about my beautiful sister Kathleen.
For starters she didn’t like or answer to anything other than Kathleen.
She told me once in grade one that a teacher called here Kathy, and she wouldn’t answer her, and the teacher was getting mad. Kathleen told her, that’s not my name my name is Kathleen. After that she called her Kathleen.
Kathleen had a once in a lifetime marriage with Charlie. She loved Charlie more than any words could possible describe, and he loves her with as much passion. I cannot remember them ever having a fight. Charlie stood beside Kathleen though all the years she was in pain and did it without any complaints. Thank you Charlie, we love you.
Joan told me a story Kathleen told her about when Kathleen and Charlie were dating. She said that they were going to break up and Kathleen asked for one last kiss, and they kissed. It sealed the deal, they never broke up and became as one. Their love story started.
Gail, Joan, and Marylou all remember Kathleen playing with their hair and using them as hair models when she was getting her hair styling license.
Marylou remembers Kathleen holding her hand and walking her to and from school, she remembered once Kathleen was going home one day a little early and Marylou’s teacher asked her if she wanted to go with Kathleen and Marylou said yes please. She said that Kathleen always made sure she was safe and was always nice to her.
Gail remembers Charlie and Billy watching the hockey games, and Kathleen and her would watch Little House On The Prairie. Joan remembers when Kathleen was working on Gottening St. and Joan and Gail would go swimming at Centennial Pool, she said they would stop by and to see Kathleen and she would give them money.
Kathleen loved to shop, I remember Kathleen, Shirley, Peggy, and mom going shopping on Saturday’s, sometimes I got to go. And we all went Christmas shopping together, Kathleen loved Christmas. Kathleen and Peggy were best friends; they spent a lot of time together. They went shopping and they all bowled on Sunday nights and then go back to Peggy’s for supper. After Kathleen start having health issues, it became harder for Kathleen to do the things they both would do together.
Kathleen also loved music. Gail and Joan remember Kathleen playing 45’s and them listening to them with her. And dance; man oh man could she dance. She would move like no one I’ve ever seen before or since. When the song Wipe Out came on, she would shake her whole body to the beat. If you haven’t heard the song, listen to it and picture her moving to that beat.
Kathleen loved all her nieces and nephews and loved to spend time with them. She and Charlie used to pick up BJ and take him out for the day, people used to think they were his parents. They also used to take Dougie out and Dougie would ask for salad, people would say, he wants salad and she would simply reply yes, but by that time her pain had started. When every I took my boys home for a visit, Kathleen would always do her best to come where ever we where to spend time with them. She always kept in touch with them and mad sure they knew that she loved them.
I used to spend the weekends with Kathleen when Charlie was out of town bowling. I remember one day her telling me that I better hope mom hears me talking in my sleep, or I’d be in trouble because of what ever I said, she never did tell me what I said. On another one of Charlie’s trips to Truro, he called Kathleen sometime after mid-night and wanted us to pick him up because they were partying too much couldn’t sleep. So we went and picked him up and drove him back in the morning.
No one thought Kathleen would ever drive. One time we all went to the Valley, we stopped to wait, because Kathleen and Charlie weren’t behind us. All of a sudden here they came, but Kathleen was driving, she had gotten her beginners and this was how she told us.
Every year before the first day of school, Kathleen would always give all us kids a hair cut in Peggy’s kitchen. Peggy’s kitchen was her side shop. I was in a fashion show in Jr. high and she told me to come to her work, she did my hair and make up and had one of the other girls to do my nails, Kathleen was always a great sister.
When Kathleen and Charlie go married, they only lived around the corner from us. I used to go to their place on Sunday’s before they had breakfast and they always told me to stay and eat with them.
Kathleen loved to bowl and when the pain became too much for her to continue, she sold the 50/50 tickets. I used to help her tear the tickets in half; she always brought me an apple and a bottle of ice water.
Hears something most of you wont know about Kathleen, she loved to talk (I think she got that from our sister Shirley). I remember one Thanksgiving Day everyone was at mom’s. Kathleen, mom, and Gail were all in the kitchen and Kathleen was in there talking up a storm. Charlie, my brother Joey and I were in the living room and Charlie said I swear I talk to her and she doesn’t have a mute button, at that moment Kathleen walked by and just gave him a look lol, we just looked at Charlie and laughed. She did have the gift of gab.
I could go on and on about all of our wonderful memories of Kathleen, but I will end with this. Kathleen was a wonderful, beautiful, and caring sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and wife. She touched the hearts of everyone she knew. Kathleen, you will be truly missed and love forever.
Rest In Peace my beautiful sister. Until we meet again, I love you.
