Katherine – My Beautiful Niece

On 7th March 2018, my darling niece, Katherine died unexpectedly. She’d just ended seven weeks of daily radiation the Friday before and had her last chemotherapy session the following Monday.

Her doctors and nurses were delighted, saying how well she had coped and that they’d be sending her home later in the week when she was able to eat and drink properly. Only she never came home. A day later she died very suddenly and completely unexpectedly.

Today is her funeral, and as luck would have it, the snow has been so severe, I was unable to travel up to be there. My parents will also miss it as I was to drive them.

Katherine was very humble, elegant and had exquisite taste while remaining totally non materialistic. She had a wonderfully refreshing naiveté at times similar to a child’s innocence. A naiveté that often made everyone smile when she aired her thoughts.

What you saw was what you got. Her laughter and giggle were infectious, her beauty inside as well as outside meant she made sure anything she did for others was all about them and their likes.

She got to know people in ways others didn’t, due to looking deeper than most care to look. Katherine was special in so many ways and was so very brave no matter what life threw at her. Her courage and strength during her illness was truly amazing.

Not once did anyone ever hear her complain or say her treatment and cancer was unfair. She accepted it as she did everything in life, thinking it  just another experience humans have to go through as part of their life here. She said she was at peace about dying and was convinced she was going to leave us even when doctors said she wouldn’t.

Her love of Nature and animals was matched not just by me, but also by her father, who lost his own fight with cancer just over three years ago. A cancer he bore just as bravely and uncomplainingly as she did. Today, she will be laid to rest with him in the village cemetery.

Katherine and her beloved children

Life has been very hard for my sister Ann and for Katherine’s children who have now lost their mother. Their dignity and courage over the last years has been quite extraordinary to see. This last week has shown me how strong and brave they are. The same can be said for Katherine’s sister, Sarah.

I am so proud of my family and will miss my niece more than words can say – we all will. It is times like this, that having belief in God and of life in a world He promises us is ours after we leave this earthly one, can bring such comfort to those left behind.

I can’t be there today Katherine and nor can your grandparents, but then again, you won’t be there either will you – only the shell of you is left behind. Your spirit has soared and your soul has gone to be with God.

We’ll all miss your presence, but can rest easy knowing your pain and suffering is over and that you’re free, healthy once again and safe in God’s loving arms. You’re re-united with your beloved father and can now do all those things so long denied you in recent years.

We love you, we miss you and will always remember you as the beautiful girl you were. We thank God for letting us have you in our lives for as long as He did before taking you back home to be with Him.

Thank you for everything you were and for all the special memories you’ve left behind that no one will ever be able to take away from us. We love you and always will. God bless my darling girl – until we meet again

xxxx

Katherine loved birds and Nature, so my last gift to her is not the usual style of funeral flowers, but is done to capture the love for God’s natural gifts to the world that she and I enjoy so much

She has now registered to do the Bristol one and all sponsorship will still go to the cancer charity, but the date for the marathon will just be different.