Dear Stephen, Elaine, and Alison, I am so very sorry about your mum's passing. I really adored her. She was so much fun; always made me laugh on the too-rare occasions we were together. She also seemed like a real rock for the family in general. I recall hearing how, when my mom was a young newlywed with a new baby and living in Dodie's basement while my dad was off in the Korean War, Kathleen came to visit, took in the situation, said "We've got to get you out of here", took my mom out and helped her find an apartment. My mom was much too timid and inexperienced to do so on her own, but Kath rescued her. I guess I had met her when she and your dad visited when I was very young, but my first real memories of her are from when my mom, Janet, and I visited England in 1980. Kathleen was a great hostess, feeding us well and teaching us how to use the trains. Janet and I felt bad about having managed to break several juice glasses while washing dishes; so, on one of our sightseeing trips into London after my mom had returned home, we wanted to buy some replacement glasses, but had a hard time finding anything comparable that was neither fancy crystal nor too plain and cheap. We looked all over the city and finally found something appropriate. By the time we got back to Beckenham, she was quite vexed with us for being late; we hadn't realized she was holding dinner for us. But she softened up when we gave her the glasses and she realized why we were late. When she was here for the Tucker family reunion in 1997, she really doted on my boys and wanted to watch them because her grandchildren were far away and she needed her grandma fix. When my folks and I visited England in 1998, one night we all (my mom and dad, Kath, Hedley, Brian, Jean, Anthony, Bryn) had dinner in a private room at the Beefeater. I was the only one there of our generation, but was not at all bored as the humor was in fine form and we were all laughing the whole time. As I later teased Kath, "That's the most fun I've ever had with old people." It was such a joy to watch her and my dad interact, because they had such an easy connection as cousins despite being an ocean apart. She would rib him and he would take it. She was one of the few people who was not afraid of him. He referred to her as "my favorite cousin." I will sorely miss receiving her Christmas cards and the annual challenge of deciphering the notes she wrote on them (said with utmost fondness!). We are all blessed to have known her. My thoughts and sympathies are with you. Love, Barb