My mom had so many friends and wonderful memories from the lab.  I remember back in the 90s when new software was introduced, the logout command for the software was ",bye" and I believe several people at the lab adopted saying "comma bye" when they left for the end of the day.  Mom and I would still often use that to end our phone conversations even recently "love you...comma bye!".

Mom was late one day to work in the 80s (most likely due to us kids) and she showed up at work wearing a paperbag on her head.  Paperbag jokes were then being made about for years afterwards, my favorite of which was a picture that showed up taped to her locker - with a bunch of people standing with bags over their heads and a handwritten caption below "Kathy's family reuinion".

Mom also said she hated Valentine's Day (even though she would often hang a little bagie of candies on our bedroom door handles for us to find on Valentine's morning)...she said it was the silliest holiday ever and she had no idea why anyone would celebrate it.  Several guys at work took this to be a challenge and each year various chocolates and flowers would show up for her at the lab, all of which made her smile.  I'm not sure she hated Valentine's Day as much as she pretended.

After retiring from the lab she loved going out for the lunches with all the retired folk.

Her lab friends are an awesome group of people that is the biggest reason why she loved her work so much!

Thanks Liz, Ingo and Christine for pictures.  If anyone else has any, feel free to upload them or email them to me. 

Kath


Lived life to the fullest even after being diagnosed with cancer. She never complained and enjoyed every moment of life.


She laughed tons, lived all out, and loved always and of course danced as much as she could. She was truly remarkable and inspirational. She truly smelled the roses and found joy in what she had not what she lost. My journey begain 45 years ago with Kath and I loved her from the beginning to forever. I was one lucky man to have found her. She made my life complete and I'm so thankful for her. A few years ago my son Chris looked at his mom and said "Mom you were a machine" You were 32 with four children six years apart in age all involved in activities, you were working, running children to doctors and you still made sure special occassions were special. You made meals cleaned house went to all parent teacher interviews. He couldn't believe how she kept it all together and with all this she made life long friends and was there for them when needed. A truly remarkable woman and human being. Bravo Kath Bravo

My mom loved dancing as a child, and possibly even more so as an adult.  She loved the music, loved the feeling of dancing and most importantly loved all of her dancing friends.  The past year the dancers went out of their way to bring food, drive to chemo appointments, drop by for visits and find ways to keep mom dancing even on weeks she was feeling poor from the chemo.  She said she always noticed a big difference in how she felt after getting some dancing in.  Dance classes have been unpredictable and inconsistent over the past few years, but everyone just happily rolled with it.  Mom's dancing friends had a special place in her heart.

Thanks Sandy Kidd for the recent set of photos I added to the photo gallery!  If others have photos, feel free to upload them or if you want to contact me for an email address, I can give that out for you to send photos to and then I can upload them for you.

Michelle/Mikki

 

Loved ones said goodbye to their mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend in the early morning of January 13th, 2016 at St. Boniface hospital (Winnipeg MB).  Kathy spent four years with appendix cancer.  The family thanks the staff and volunteers at St. Boniface hospital for all of the care and kindness they showed, as well as the countless friends that helped through her journey.  Kathy was predeceased by her brother Brian Rudrick (2013).  She will be greatly missed by her parents Nicholas and Elizabeth Rudrick; her sisters Joanne Enns (Brian) and Aline Wilkie (Lawrie); her children Darcy Arnold (Alana), Michelle Arnold (Kirk Nigro), Robynne Arnold and Chris Arnold (Wanda); grandchildren Evan Arnold, Ryan Arnold, Alexis Nigro, Samantha Nigro, Adyson Arnold, Devyn Arnold and Tyler Arnold; and many extended family.  Kathy was born in Saskatoon SK on September 21st 1952, and was the first of four children to Nicholas and Elizabeth Rudrick.  As a child she moved many times, but her favorite place to live was in Semans Saskatchewan, close by her grandmother’s farm and surrounded by friendly country people.  She had four children with Terry Arnold, and had a forty year career as a hematologist at Winnipeg Children’s Hospital and Winnipeg Health Science Center.  She was involved with the Canadian Hematology Society for many years, and enjoyed her work and the many friendships she formed in the lab.  Her heart and many years of her life were dedicated to her children and their many activities – hours at swim meets, fund raising events, hockey rinks and driving in the car.  She taught her children the importance of dedication, hard work and being the best person they could be.  She also wanted them to know the joys of life – loving others and doing for others, enjoying the simple things in life like a day at the beach or a rainy day playing games, and taking the time to make sure the special people in life know you care and appreciate them.  After her children grew up, Kathy returned to dancing, an activity she had loved as a child.  She took classes and taught classes, including jazz, line dancing, Irish dancing and clog.  The last few years of her life Kathy’s greatest joy came from spending time with her grandchildren  - coloring pictures, working in the garden with them, talking on skype/facetime and knitting blankets for them.  She also loved her time with Y Neighbors.  Kathy made a difference in the lives of everyone who knew her.  She cared about others and enjoyed giving of herself to make others happy.  In lieu of flowers the family asks that caring friends and family honor Kathy’s memory by donating to a friend in need or doing something extra special to show someone they love them.  A celebration of Kathy’s life will be held the first Saturday of Spring, March 26th 2016, at the St. James Legion (1755 Portage Ave, Winnipeg MB) from 1:00-3:30pm.  Friends and family can share memories and leave condolences at www.forevermissed.com/kathy-m-arnold.