Though 25 years of living alone as a widow was not part of her plan, to her credit, Kath has remained occupied and engaged, maintaining her physical and mental wellbeing by: knitting; quilting; doing daily cryptic crosswords and computer puzzles; playing bowls; going on bus trips; attending meetings.
80th Birthday 2004
90th Birthday 2014
90 Fabulous Years
Susan Blackburn – For the occasion of Kath’s 90th birthday party, July 2014
The 5th of July is an important day
It’s when Kathleen has her birthday!
As a child she travelled far and wide
But after meeting Jim, they settled in Ryde.
She’s lived in Elizabeth St for many a day
Made lifelong friends like Jean, Judy and Ray.
Three children arrived – Geoff, Alison and Sue
Then came the grandkids – there’s quite a few!
Jules, Lennon, Laura, Sheridan and Jack
James, David and Nathan. It’s quite a pack.
And now there are great grands – so far only two
Soon to be three, with a bump in view!
Kath is always busy, there’s bus trips galore.
Then there’s sewing, qulting, cryptics and more.
She’s computer lit, does email and Skype
Even if the fingers aren’t too quick to type!
So to the friends and family who’ve joined us today
Thank you for making it a very special day.
She has reached a milestone, so let’s give a cheer,
To Kath, on reaching 90 fabulous years!!!
An occupational narrative
Alison Wicks, 2022
I would like to introduce you to my mum, Kathleen Mary Reay. She is 98 years old.
Mum lives at home, alone, in the house where she has lived for the past 70 years. The free standing, three bedroom house on a ¼ acre block is in a suburb in Sydney, NSW, Australia.
She is supported by her three children who assist with shopping, transport to appointments and garden maintenance, and some community agencies which provide cleaning and allied health services.
Never one to have idle hands, mum has always been busy making things. When we were young she sewed all our clothes and knitted us warm jumpers and beanies. In her “spare” time and using scraps of material, she would make aprons and hats for sale at the school fetes.
When it was no longer cool for us to wear homemade clothes, mum took up tapestry, and there are numerous examples of her work hanging in her home.
When dad was ill and they were spending more time at home, mum taught herself quilting and all members of the family now have a handmade quilt.
Her passion then became counted thread cross stitching which requires patience, skill and good eyesight. However, about four years ago when diagnosed with macular generation in one eye, she began to have difficulty sewing on the fine fabrics and ceased her cross stitching.
Being unable to sit and do nothing, she decided to start knitting squares after she heard a presentation on Wraps with Love at a View Club meeting. She knits garter stitch, that is, plain knitting. Each square is perfect as she will undo her work and start again if she finds even a minor mistake or dropped stitch. One role of her support team is to ensure there is an ample supply of wool.
These days, mum spends a lot of her time knitting. To date, she has contributed hundreds of squares which are then sewn together by groups around Australia, and then the beautiful warm wraps are distributed to people around the world who are living in poverty, or are experiencing natural disasters.
These days Mum knits for various reasons. She wants to be productive. She wishes to make a contribution to the lives of others. She enjoys being one small player in a large team making a big difference. Knitting helps to pass the time. And she feels a sense of satisfaction, and pride, when there is a pile of 50 squares ready to be delivered.
99th Birthday 2023
Kath’s 100th
Susan Blackburn – For the occasion of Kath’s 100th birthday party, 6 July 2024
It’s been 10 years since Kath’s last big party
She’s keeping quite well, just a bit farty.
It’s sad to see we are missing some faces
But the new generation is filling the spaces.
Her children are here, all grandchildren too
And most of the greats, we’re just missing 2.
We welcome family and friends from far and near
You are the people that Mum holds dear.
Kath is still at home where she and Jim resided
And there she will stay – she has decided!
She keeps on knitting, reading and emailing
Although sight and hearing are somewhat failing.
Her years have been busy, with lots of fun
They must have been good, she’s made a “ton.”
We love her dearly, Kath is one hundred years
So let’s say Happy Birthday with a great big cheer.
Kathleen Mary Reay 