Moms funeral

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The Chapel QuickTimeﾪ and a
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Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
As some of you know, Gene is not able to be
here this morning. He was rushed to hospital
with an apparent case of kidney stones. He’s
resting comfortably in hospital.

When Kathy passed away, Gene asked me to act
as a sort of Master of Ceremonies today. I am
Dan Walz, Gene’s brother.

[Tells a short story about Gene & Kathy]

I’d now like to introduce a close friend to Kathy,
Carol Free.

[Dan, Michelle & Leah surprised to see Sandy &
Sadie join Carole as they’d decided to read their
pieces personally]

Carole Free, Sadie Bury & Sandy Gray
Friends

Carole Free
Friend
I first met Kathy at St George School. Our
Resource Team was working on a literacy
outreach program. We needed toys to match up
with the books. Our principal suggested I talk to
Kathy. She invited me to yard sale with her the
next weekend. We hit over 30 sales (in rural areas
2 or 3 for a weekend was considered very good)
and so we embarked on a personal as well as
professional friendship. (Our average yard sales a
weekend was 50 - 70, our all time high was over
100).

The forethought and planning required to do this
was characteristic of Kathy. She applied the same
approach to planning our RV trips to the
southwestern states - maximizing the adventure
on each trip. In a short period of time we would
visit many remarkable sites. Always living in the
present and to the max! There were so many
remarkable experiences that choosing a favourite
would be difficult - perhaps the balloon ride during
the Albuquerque Balloon Festival or a visit to the
Wild Horse Sanctuary or national monuments
or ??? so many great places!!!

Carole Free
Friend

Kathy was a committed photographer - as in many other
things, I learned from her. Her photos have been chosen
by municipalities and companies for marketing brochures
and tourism PR. She had so many requests that she
eventually started asking a small fee. This money was
donated to support various projects. Her generosity
included encouragement as well as financial support.
She was able to express her faith in others in specific
terms that validated that person’s goals/dreams.

Carole Free
Friend
I trusted her intelligent advice and
perspective completely - professionally
and personally. We had many interesting
discussions as we analyzed the learning
and behaviour patterns of our students.
Kathy was always looking for strategies
to help students and teachers in the
classroom. Kathy did not limit herself to
contacts within the building or school
hours. When we were out and about, I
saw parents often speak with her -
always with respect and gratitude for her
help with their children. She was direct
and honest but compassionate as she
worked with families and staff. Her
suggestions were clear and practical -
refreshingly helpful. She truly enjoyed
working with the children - her toy stash
was legendary - many toys having
specific diagnostic or therapeutic
purpose and a few just for fun.

Kathy had a tremendous capacity to connect with people - children and parents, staff, people she met on trips - I
would see this repeatedly.

Carole Free
Friend
Although she was gracious and dignified, Kathy could be
whimsical/humourous - on one trip she purchased a
very realistic faux tattoo sleeve - the photo caption
was “do you think they’ll like it??” knowing full well
her family would be shocked/horrified if they thought
it a real tattoo.

During census in Nunavut Kathy was bitten by a dog
badly enough to require some medical treatment. She
took a picture of that dog and took great delight in telling
the story and THEN showing us the photo of the dog - it
looked like a tiny pomeranian cross - a little piece of fluff!
She had inadvertently gotten between the tiny dog and
her pups.

Kathy was a strong, loving wife and mother/grandmother.
In the midst of travel adventure she was in constant
communication with them - they were never far from her
thoughts.

For Kathy, travel was a heart’s desire from the time she
was a young girl. She was a traveller in spirit and in fact.

Carole Free
Friend
For me, travel with Kathy
was a welcome bonus.

The real bonus though was
Kathy herself and being included
in her life.

Thank you.

Sadie Bury
Friend
Kathy and I met about 24 years ago when we
came back to the Canoe Club to play
badminton.

We spent many hours there watching our kids
practice and play tournaments. Kathy and I
were always together on the badminton draw
desk running tournaments. We traveled
together across Canada to watch Greg, (my
son), Michelle and Leah play.

It didn’t take long for us to lose our identity. We
were no longer Mrs. Bury or Mrs. Walz. We
became Greg’s mom, Michelle and Leah’s
Mom.

When Kathy moved to River Road, we became
walking partners, going for our Buddy walks.
During those bitter cold mornings we would
phone each other and ask “ What do you think”
should we go for a walk?’ Of course we always
did, bundled up like two Inuit.

Sadie Bury
Friend
On our Buddy walks, Kathy could not pass by a
garage sale without checking it out. She always
kept a couple of dollars in her pocket just in
case she would find something of interest.

She was always trying something different. One
year she convinced me to do the Election with
QuickTimeﾪ and a her. She was calm, cool and collected taking in
the ballots, I was a nervous wreck. She
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traveled to Nunavut and Iqaluit to do the census
as well. She loved a challenge.

I am so glad that Kathy and Gene managed to
visit with us at our cottage in Temagami this
past summer. Kathy was busy taking pictures
everywhere and she quickly understood why
Phil (my husband) loved Temagami so much.

Kathy, we will miss you.

Sandy Gray
Friend
Thinking of Kathy today evokes many emotions and
thoughts for me right now…. a little jumbled up… and
way too many to share in a short time.

Two words that continually pop into my head
constantly when I remember Kath are always there.

Kathy was always there for the children and families
she worked with:

 no time was too early or too late to meet
 no task too big
 no difficult situation was avoided ;
it would be addressed gently, honestly and with only
positive encouragement
 all children were worth fighting for
Kathy had no problem advocating for her children and
families!

Kathy’s reliability and support carried over to all who
worked with her, both in the work situation and private
lives.

Sandy Gray
Friend

Getting to know Kathy better over the years
uncovered a whimsical side of her that I enjoyed:

catching her skipping down the hallway at school
her love of feathers… .
(have you seen her Christmas tree?)
the big silver ball in her garden
the Inukshuks built from the snow in her front yard
her love of collecting little things, and, of course,
her school office full of every imaginable thing that
would catch the eye of any child ……. and many an
adult!

Sandy Gray
Friend
Kathy’s artistic talent is diverse I believe, but I will
always remember the drawing of her dog, Buddy,
that hung on my office wall….. it was beautiful.

However, the most fascinating artwork took place
at our monthly meetings! Her doodles were the
smallest, neatest design creations that I have
ever seen…. They absolutely fascinated me.
(Yes….we were paying attention!)

She also had the smallest neatest printing…. it
came in really handy for filling out meeting note
sheets.

Kathy’s artistic eye was great for form and
function also. As a result she ended up helping
me arrange several offices…… perhaps that
talent came more from the fact that CGC
clinicians never know where they’re going to be
stuck in various buildings and have to become
creative with space!

Sandy Gray
Friend
I particularly admired Kathy’s approach to life. Live with Intention
As well as “being there” for others, she looked
after herself, and created a life she enjoyed. Listen Hard
(How many places did she see in her first year of
retirement?.... Germany, African Safari…. this
woman knew how to retire!)
Practice wellness
To close, I’d like to share a few words written by
Play with abandon
a writer from Oregon whose writings “include a
commitment to passionate intentional living,
Laugh
valuing wellness, and embracing the
moment”.
Choose with no regret
These simple statements make me think of Appreciate your friends
Kathy. Perhaps they are thoughts she’d like us all
to consider. Do what you love
Live as if this is all there is
-Maryanne Radmacher.Hershey ‘95

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant

[Dan: agrees with Carole, Sadie and Sandy’s assessments about
always being there and shares a story of Mom & Dad’s wedding at
the picnic thereafter].

Michelle Walz
Daughter

My Memoriam could probably be
reduced to just one sentence:

I was fortunate enough to call
Kathy Walz my Mom.

Michelle Walz
Daughter

Growing up, I was always Daddy’s Little Girl, tourists
often asking Dad if I was Shirley Temple (yes, 50
years late!), but I was also very close to my Mom.
My nights were often spent talking to Mom in her
bed and then reading a novel by her side, falling
asleep with my nose between the pages, Dad then
carrying me into my room when he came to bed.

Mom was always there, whether that was to
chauffeur me to my many sporting events, provide a
shoulder to cry on, or just be there to talk or to listen.

When I moved abroad over ten years ago, our
relationship actually grew stronger. The Internet-
age had arrived so emails were regularly
exchanged, then instant messages, and most
recently Skype calls, Flickr photos and Facebook.

Michelle Walz
Daughter
Four years ago, our relationship grew even stronger:
I was becoming a Mom. So many things Mom had
said, done, not said or not done now made sense.
Why did the dishes not get done after dinner, but
instead she waited until morning? So she could
spend quality evening time with us rather than plop
us in front of the T.V.

She saw me grow as a Mom and I in turn saw her
become a Grandma and now knew – as I really
always had before – just how lucky I was to call
her my Mom.

It is very sad for me knowing that my son Torsten will
never get to really know his Grandma. “Grandma
hurting”, “Doctors kan inte fix Grandma” – ‘Grandma
is hurting and doctors cannot fix her’ is what he
knows right now. But her toys and photos and
memories live on, so she most certainly won’t be
forgotten.

Michelle Walz
Daughter
I’m going to miss our almost daily Skype chats,
where I told her about my day (and she hers) and
where we talked about how I’m now helping other
Expat Moms through my support groups and La
Leche League leadership. I’m going to miss her
calling me “kiddo” and not minding, even though
I’m nearly 35 and a certainly not a kid anymore.
I’m going to miss garage saleing for toys and
clothes for Torsten, travelling, and simply talking.
I am going to miss a lot of things.

I’m thankful that our family is fortunate enough
that I was able to travel here to Winnipeg from
Switzerland to visit Mom; several times since her
cancer diagnosis in fact. I am happy that I could
have three hours with her the morning she died.
That morning I told her that I loved her and that I
was going to be okay. She told me to tell
everyone that she loved them and thanked the
hospital staff for all their help while she was in
hospital.

Michelle Walz
Daughter

I’m also thankful that she was able to see Torsten
one last time. Her eyes lit up, only hours before
she passed, when Torsten and I entered her room.
She also managed to tell Torsten clearly and
lovingly that his blue crayon-coloured airplane he
did for her was “beautiful, just beautiful”. That’s
the kind of woman she was – sitting there on her
deathbed still managing to smile and compliment
her grandson on his work.

Michelle Walz
Daughter
Each one of you likely got to know some of the
I will try my best to be qualities I hope have come through in this story today.
Since her passing, many people have told me that
even half the Mom, they hope to live half the life and half the retirement
that Mom did and if they succeed, they’ll be satisfied.

half the Friend, I too hope this, but most of all, I will try my best to
be even half the Mom, half the Friend, half the

half the Woman Woman that she was. If I manage, I know she will
live on in me.

that she was. Bye Mom.

If I manage, I know she I hope you have a good final trip, where ever death
may have taken you.
will live on in me. [Dan]:
A song starts playing and Dan holds up Torsten’s Blue Airplane.
Not a dry eye in the house.

Musical Interlude
Enya - Only Time
Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day fows, only time?
And who can say if your love grows,
As your hearth chose, only time?

Who can say why your heart sights,
As your live fies, only time?
And who can say why your heart cries
when your love lies, only time?
QuickTimeﾪ and a
decompressor Who can say when the roads meet,
are needed to see this picture. That love might be ,in your heart?
and who can say when the day sleeps,
and the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart.....

Who can say if your love groves,
As your heart chose, only time?
And who can say where the road goes
Where the day fows, only time?

Who knows? Only time Who knows? Only time

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
Dan tells another touching story about Mom and
her mothering and love of Michelle & Leah.

Dan:
I’d now like to introduce Stacey Wowchuk who
is going to read a letter written by a fried of
Kathy’s, Helen AbenReynen, who upon hearing
of Kathy’s death immediately called and talked
to Gene.

Stacey Wowchuk
Reads a Letter from Helen AbenReynen
When I heard of Kathy’s death I told Gene the story of how
Kathy and I met around the story of dolls and her Inuit doll
created by Ayowna Emiktowt. Gene asked me to share this
story with you.

~~~

Kathy Walz shares one chapter in a story of love spreading
forth from the Canadian Arctic inside a prayer for the healing
of relationships – a breathing artwork created with the
women and youth of the Kivalliq in Nunavut. It is a work of
love.

[Stacey adds a comment along the lines that there is something
about Northern Canada that is love and stays with you forever.]

Here is how Kathy Walz’s soul touched the heart of the child
within an artist, me, Helen AbenReynen and the artists of
2007 Kivalliq Inuit Doll Festival Exhibition and Story-telling
Traditions.

I moved to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut after graduating from
Simon Fraser University as a visual artist. My work was
deeply personal and imbedded within faith and works
meditating on a mantra of “teach only love” focusing on the
healing of relationships.

Stacey Wowchuk
When I moved to Rankin Inlet, I
continued this prayer and meditation.
As I walked around town in one of my
darkest prayers, the word “dolls”
sounded and rang clear. It was how we
would connect spiritually and artistically.
I brought this word to the women artists
and asked if they would like to create an
exhibition of dolls and show it in the
south. They said yes and began with
the hope of bringing mothers and
daughters together. I went south and
began a labour of love that still
continues to grow. The Burnaby Art
Gallery said yes for a touring exhibition.

When I returned, the women said
“show us the $.” And that started me
in a tailspin…

We were now a group of women coming together. The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre became the place of
refuge and support from which I could write grants.

Stacey Wowchuk
We were successful in receiving $40K from Economic Development for a one week workshop that
brought in two women from each of the seven Kivalliq communities. The doll you see here was
created by Ayowna at that first workshop… where Ayowna spoke of why the doll’s face was indistinct.
She did not want anyone to laugh or ridicule it or the Inuit. She was so respectful and honoured her
race, culture and beliefs. She wanted the person who saw it or purchased it to respect and value the
doll and the Inuit as she did.

I traveled to the other communities and met Ayowna in her hometown of Coral Harbour. Word was
getting out that I was the “doll” lady. Soon after, it was during the census taking of 2006, that Kathy
caught wind of me and was insistent that I show her some dolls the women were sending for 2007
K.I.D.F.E.S.T and subsequent touring exhibition.

Nothing I could say would discourage her. I was overwhelmed with this “growing responsibility” and
cross I was bearing for the work, women and “doll project”. The secret was out … I had the dolls and
Kathy wouldn’t give up.

I succumbed to her bright eyes, smile and pleasant and heartfelt desire to see the dolls. I agreed to
show her a couple. Now I knew the dolls entering my home were special and filled with the spirit of
dignity, love and respect … but I had no idea of the impact they would have on another. Kathy soon
showed me the spirit of a doll and the strength in the heart of a woman.

I will never forget that afternoon with Kathy sitting on my living room floor delighting in the first few
dolls I showed her. Then I went into the ”Crawl Space Gallery” as it was nicknamed later, and crawled
out with Ayowna’s doll.

Stacey Wowchuk

As we unwrapped Ayowna’s doll, Kathy began to cry freely. She sat
on my living room floor for twenty minutes crying. Tears of love, of joy,
of pain, of sadness and sorrow, and happiness. She shed them all. I
sat there with her … and when Kathy was finished, we crawled into the
“crawl space gallery” where I showed her many, many more dolls sent
by the 40+ women from the seven communities.

We sat in the crawl space and chatted as girls and women do, sharing
our hopes and dreams and telling stories. Many were of her love for
the Inuit and people she met in the Arctic.

She also shared a story of her work with dolls and children and a
special acrylic doll house she had constructed called “The Secrets
House” … a safe place where children could tell their secrets that
people told them they had to keep.

We chatted for hours and sealed a friendship that will last forever.

Stacey Wowchuk

But that’s not where Kathy’s story ends. She wouldn’t leave until I
promised to call the artist. She wanted to buy Ayowna’s doll.

Now you must understand that I was creating a work of art that was
grounded in faith and was about love. It wasn’t about “selling” or
becoming a retailer. That wasn’t me. I was bounded to this work in
a spiritual way through prayer and committed to teaching only love.
The work was about the “heart” and “soul” of the people… it was
about connecting with the heart … and becoming more than the sale
of a doll. I told Kathy so … she still wanted me to talk to the artist
and kept at me until I promised. The $ was not an issue.

Through Kathy’s support, persistence, perseverance and genuine
caring, she pierced her way through my walls and fears. I called
Ayowna … together we came up with a price … and then added
some more as a donation to the PKFC and called it $1000.00.
Ayowna would receive “southern price” for her work.

I was still hoping Kathy would say no. BUT SHE DIDN”T!!!

Stacey Wowchuk
And in that moment, I began becoming the woman and
artist I am today. Kathy’s love of life, the Inuit, her doll,
and people inspired me to continue despite the obstacles,
challenges, fears and emotions that would come. I can see
Kathy helped me understand when to set boundaries,
when to be flexible, and most of all listen with my all my
Kathy smiling now
senses. Her support in that one moment, where she
trusted and believed in me, was all I needed at times
knowing that
when I really wanted to quit the doll project. I could see
her at my door, I could see her on the living room floor, I
she loved well
could hear her laughter in the crawl space, I could see her
eyes twinkle in our kitchen, I could see her waiting for the
and was loved
return of her then touring doll as I spoke with the women
and families of the Lethbridge Textile Surface Design
and who she was
Guild who purchased eleven dolls, displayed them and
then donated them to the Pulaarvik Kablu
mattered.
Friendship Centre where they would always be there for
the children and Inuit of the Kivalliq. I can see Kathy
smiling now knowing that she loved well and was loved
and who she was mattered.

Stacey Wowchuk

Kathy helped me believe and stand in myself,
Realize that together we can, Never give up.
There is beauty in all. And above all there’s joy
in keeping promises, loving and letting go.

I love her with all my heart.
QuickTimeﾪ and a
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Qujannamiik Kathy

ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
[Dan: Says something like, “What a beautiful story
and I can tell you, as I am sure you know, Kathy
was not one who cried often, so the impact of the
doll was profound.”]

I’d now like to introduce Kathy’s daughter Leah who
is going to pay her tribute to her Mom. Leah…

Leah Walz
Daughter

Over the years I have given a lot of
presentations, and I often prefer to tell a story
which I feel captures some of the essential
themes and ideas that I want to cover, and
includes “typical” quotes or events. But with
Mom, I thought: “certainly no one story can do
her justice.”

I will try nonetheless.

Leah Walz
Daughter
It was December of 2004, and I was home for
the holidays after a pretty devastating (and
unexpected) breakup with the man I had been
living with for the previous three years. Some
retail therapy was in order, so mom and I
proceeded to go on a what-not-to-where-style
search for a whole new wardrobe. Amongst the
more mundane purchases were a few special
items:

1) a gorgeous pair of red high-healed “break-up”
boots, which, despite my reluctance – and
assertions that I had nowhere to wear them –
mom talked me into buying.
2) A sequined gold and white “naked” tank-top,
which, despite my reluctance – and assertions
that I had nowhere to wear it – Mom talked me
into buying.
3) Two pairs of dark grey-blue jeans, which,
despite my reluctance – and assertion that I
didn’t need BOTH pairs – Mom talked me into
buying (do we see a pattern?)

Leah Walz
Daughter
She was on a mission to rebuild my self-esteem,
and together we joked that the silver lining to the
ugly ending of this relationship was that I looked
GREAT!! (I hadn’t been able to eat much of
anything for weeks and had dropped a dress-
size or two.)

A week or so later, decked out in one of my new
outfits, my dear friend Stacey (whom you just
heard from) and I – to my mom’s delight –
crashed the Christmas party of an old friend from
high-school. There I met a man that I now
affectionately refer to as “The rebound guy.” He
has since been replaced by a truly wonderful life-
partner, but as far as rebound guys go, he was
perfect, and exactly what I needed at the time.

My mom understood this.

Leah Walz
Daughter

A few days later, my plans with the rebound guy
were threatened by a classically brutal Winnipeg
blizzard. As our family sat around the kitchen
table having dinner, Dad was adamant, “You are
not going, you are not driving downtown to see
this boy, you can see him another day.”

Against all reason – and in a fit of “Leah Logic”
(as my Mom liked to call it) – I was equally
adamant that I was going and that it would be
fine because we lived on a main street that had
already been plowed, as did the rebound guy.
With perfect hindsight, I can now see that this
was crazy-thinking.

Mom was relatively quiet…

Leah Walz
Daughter
After much back and forth, and some frustrated
tears on my part, mom decided: “ok, grab a
bottle of wine from our supply and I’ll drive you to
the mall. You can take the bus from there.” She
knew how much I needed to go, and she was
determined to help me to get there.

So we hop in her car (she did not yet have her
beloved Hyundai SUV!) and back out of the
garage… and halfway down the drive-way we
are totally and completely stuck. She turns to
me, with no annoyance in her voice, and says –
“Oh shoot, now your Dad’s going to be able to
say ‘I told you so!’”

But knowing that Dad is in the basement, so will
not see our plight, Mom and I trudge back up the
driveway, grab a couple of shovels and proceed
to try to dig the car out – keep in mind this is in a
full-on, howling, 2-feet-of-snow-expected,

BLIZZARD!

Leah Walz
Daughter
“Leah”, she says after a bit of shoveling, “I’m
sorry, I don’t think this is going to happen, but
let’s at least try to get the car back into the
garage”. A few minutes later, shovels in hand, we
hear a low rumble above the sounds of blowing
snow – it’s the bus! I look at mom, she looks at
me, and without a second thought she says…
“GO!”. I grab my bag, the bottle of wine, and
laughing at the hilarity of it all, I RUN after that
bus… and I’m on my way.

I later learn that Mom (and Dad, once he noticed)
spent the next couple hours shoveling our
driveway to get her car back in the garage – yet
when I tried to apologize for the fact that I’d been
a selfish a-hole, she would not accept it.

“You have nothing to apologize for – it took about
10 minutes of shoveling to get the car back in the
garage, then I just figured that we’d have to
shovel eventually, so why not now?”

That was my mom.

Leah Walz
Daughter
Sometimes I lose perspective on how amazing
she was, because she was the only mom I ever
had. Strong, selfless, compassionate and kind,
she had an understated wit and hyper-developed
sense of empathy.

She was certainly no-nonsense and never
pollyana-ish, but she was also fiercely optimistic.
Whenever I worried about finishing a
presentation, a project, or even my thesis, she
said simply “you’ll get it done – you just work
better under pressure.” (FYI, I wrote what I am
saying now this morning, after stressing out for
days that I had no idea what I was going to say.
She was right again.).

And whenever I worried more broadly about what
I was doing with my life, she was always
reassuring without being condescending:

“everything will work out – it always does.”

Leah Walz
Daughter

They say that people die as they live, and that is
certainly true of my mom. Those who met her for “You know the best thing
the first time after her cancer diagnosis saw how
special she was.
about having terminal
Never one for self-pity, everyone was impressed by cancer?” she said, popping a
my mom’s strength and inventiveness (for getting
around the house once she could no longer walk,
jujube in her mouth,
or SIT, for example), touched by her kindness, and “you can eat whatever you
amused by her dark humour.
want!”

Leah Walz
Daughter

Taking care of my mom these past few months
was, as they say, “the toughest job I ever loved.”
She was a role model
for the kind of woman There were many painful moments, but there was
also a lot of joy and laughter. We always had a
that I hope to become, special relationship; she was my mom but also my
dearest friend. But she was also a role model for
and the bravest and the kind of woman that I hope to become, and the
most caring person bravest and most caring person I’ve ever known.

I’ve ever known. In a quiet moment, mom told me that she was not
afraid of dying, but that it hurt her to think about
how hard it would be for those she left behind.

Leah Walz
Daughter
I had all this time, alone with her, to tell her how
much she meant to me – yet so much went
unsaid.

“I love you, Mom,” I said to her on the phone
from Montreal the night before she died (she had
insisted I go home for a few days, because I
needed a break), “and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Those were my last words to her. I wasn’t ready
to say good-bye – and I just wasn’t ready – but I
also know that that day would never have come.

Mom, I’m sorry that you will not be here to see
the tulips you planted, or to have that cup of
coffee on the deck.

You were the only Mom I ever had, and you
were amazing. You were always there for me.
Always. And there are no words to describe
how much I will miss you.

Musical Interlude
Roger Whittaker - Momma Mary
T me how did you feel when the angel came into
ell
the garden?
How did you feel? How did you feel?
When he said "if you're afraid I beg your pardon,
but you're the one to bear god's son."

T me how did you feel (how did you feel)
ell
how did you feel (how did you feel) QuickTimeﾪ and a
decompressor
Oh Momma, Momma Mary, are needed to see this picture.
we wish you joy, we wish you joy.
Oh Momma, Momma Mary,
your little boy, your little boy
Soon to be our saviour.
[Michelle & Leah sing along]

T me how did you feel on the fnal day
ell
How did you feel? How did you feel?
When you arrived in Bethlehem to hear them say
"No food no table, save in the stable"

Musical Interlude
ell
how did you feel (how did you feel)

[Michelle & Leah sing along,
QuickTimeﾪ and a
Michelle replacing Momma Mary with Momma Kathy] decompressor
T me how did you feel when the wise men came
ell
to see him?
How did it feel? How did it feel?
When shepherds and kings with precious things
adored him
it had begun, here was the one.

ell
how did you feel (how did you feel)

Musical Interlude

Oh Momma, Momma [Kathy],
QuickTimeﾪ and a
Oh Momma, Momma [Kathy], decompressor

[Michelle & Leah sing along]

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
As Gene was not able to be here today, he asked
that I read the Eulogy he prepared in Kathy’s
honour.

Unlike his wife and daughters (who came up here
with computers), Gene still used paper and pen.
I’ll do my best to honour his memory of Kathy.

Dan Walz
Interprets Gene Walz’s Eulogy
Before this past fall, I can remember crying only
once in my adult life -- when my father died. He
had trained me well not to be a “crybaby”.

Well, maybe I cried a second time, when my
Eastman Kodak Stock, carefully collected since I
was a paperboy at age 12, dropped from over
$100 a share to four dollars and seventy-six
cents!

I hope this does not turn into an Oprah Winfrey
moment!

How do I condense 40 years of a wonderful
partnership, thousands of memories, into a
eulogy that doesn’t test your patience? I guess I
start by modifying the old adage behind every
great man is a great woman. Well I can tell you
that behind even “not-so-great” men there are
often great women!

Dan Walz

Kathy and I met in Amherst, Massachusetts
when I was a grad student and she was a
waitress at “Famous” Bill’s. We had met at a
lecture I gave on King Kong which she attended
with her old boyfriend. A short while later, I drove
20 miles to “Famous” Bill’s, sat in her section, ate
a small meal and over-tipped her.

[Dan]
And if anyone knows Gene, you know how out of
the ordinary over-tipping was and how much of
an impression Kathy must have given!

Dan Walz
We almost didn’t get married. On our third or
fourth date we went with four other couples to
see the Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup. Kathy
didn’t laugh through the entire movie…. She
glowered.

[Dan]
QuickTimeﾪ and a I think Duck Soup is one of the funniest movies
decompressor of all time!

Dan Walz
But she could be a woman of very strong tastes!
She hated potatoes (except for double-cooked
French fries) because she came from a poor
Irish family and her father forced them on her.
Every meal was a battle of wills.

She HATED pickles because she worked a a
pickle factory. And she HATED puerile movies.

When I was writing my PhD thesis, I needed
something to keep me sane and connected with
the outside world. So I took a birding course. It
met every Saturday at dawn -- 6 or 7 a.m. Kathy
joined too and this commitment convinced me tat
she was the person for me: she was beautiful,
smart, sensitive, sensible AND as a bonus, she
liked birds!

I didn’t realize until after we were married that
she didn’t care all that much about birds. She
cared about a certain birder. But I guess that
was enough!

Dan Walz
Believe it or not, we NEVER fought in our 40
years together. We grumbled, we sulked, but we
never yelled. We never went to bed mad at each
other.

The only time I came close was when we were in
Africa together on Safari. We were in a Safari
vehicle full of birders when we came upon a
QuickTimeﾪ and a
decomp ressor
mother lion and her three small cubs, babies
really, mere weeks old. Kathy was absolutely IN
LOVE with these lions and took scores of photos.

Meanwhile, the other Safari people were growing
increasingly impatient. When I agreed with
THEM that we should move on, Kathy was
FURIOUS. But she quickly got a grip and our
only potential fight dissipated.

Dan Walz
After she retired, Kathy became a pretty good
photographer, in fact more than just pretty good.
She sold some photos that appeared in ads and in
calendars. A poet friend of mine, in commenting
on some days we spent together around Gimli
[crowd corrects: /ghIm-li/!] and Oak Hammock
Marsh, recalled how patiently and lovingly Kathy
photographed gophers.

THAT was Kathy’s secret.

Our marriage was tested most during my tenure
hearings in 1981. My department chairman had
the annoying habit of phoning every night to warn
me about another possible pitfall. Everybody I
knew figured he was trying to find a way to deny
my tenure and get his wife the job. His
conversations invariably began with “I don’t think
we have to worry about this…. BUT” and he would
turn a positive into a destructive anxiety.

Dan Walz
Kathy nursed me through this, and when I got
tenure, she surprised me with a recovery trip to
Cozumel, Mexico, one of our fondest memories.

With regards to my work, she taught me the
destructiveness of writing a positive comment
followed by “but”, “yet”, or “however” when
evaluating student papers. And she convinced me
to never grade papers or exams with a RED pen.

As for her own work, she was more than just a
school psychologist. She found the job VERY hard
and it left her sleepless many a night. I still
remember the time that she got up every day at
6:00a.m. to help a “school phobic” kid get to school
when his parents were unwilling.

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant

Gene didn’t get a chance to finish his Eulogy, so
after reading his remarks, I asked at the hospital if
there was anything else Gene wanted to say.

Gene said simply, “that’s it, except that I loved
her.”

She asked that the following song be played at
her service. Kathy personally chose all the songs
played here today. They all meant something to
her.

She LOVED to travel and this song is her final
journey.

Musical Interlude
Willie Nelson - On the Road Again
On the road again -
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again QuickTimeﾪ and a
decompressor
And I can't wait to get on the road again. are needed to see this picture.
On the road again -
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way
is on the road again.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends

Musical Interlude
Willie Nelson - On the Road Again
On the road again

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends

Insisting that the world keep turning our way
QuickTimeﾪ and a
And our way decompressor
is on the road again. are needed to see this picture.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends


Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
Do not shed tears when I have gone
But smile instead because I have lived

Do not shut your eyes and pray to God that I’ll come back
But open your eyes and see all that I have left behind.

I know your heart will be empty because you cannot see me
But still I want you to be full of te love we shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live only for yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of what happened between us yesterday.

You can remember me and grieve that I have gone.
Or you can cherish my memory and let it live on.

You can cry and lose yourself, become distraught
And turn your back on the world
Or you can do what I want -- smile, wipe away the tears,
learn to love again and go on.

*I can’t go on. I must go on. I’ll go on.
-David Harkins

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
I’d now like to open up the floor to anyone who’d
like to say anything else about Kathy.

Archie Chawla
Friend & Coach

I didn’t plan to get up here, but there was another
side to Kathy, the sports side.

Archie tells the story of Mom learning to play
badminton at the Winnipeg Canoe Club, having never
played a racquet sport before, and coming out QuickTimeﾪ and a
regularly to practice. Then joining a tournament and decompressor
winning and never playing again, she are needed to see this picture.
had
accomplished what she wanted.

He also tells the story of her being Mom to Michelle &
Leah and about her tennis days.

Dan Walz
M.C. & Celebrant
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling fight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die!
-Mary Frye (1932)

Moms funeral

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