Hello Shauna’s Family & Friends,
When we take the time to remember Shauna, we are moved to recall her wonderful, caring attitude – towards everyone she met. She was a most special person, and she will be missed.
With the passing of my mother, Katie Herringer, back in 1998, she wrote a wonderful tribute that she gave at the funeral. It reveals a lot about Shauna’s caring attitude with humour and love. Alas, up until now, this tribute has been left on the trash heap of history.
Her wonderful piece of prose and poetry are carried here below. I think it helps to shine some light into a lot of corners that should bring smiles to many faces.
Shauna delivers a number of messages that we think she would hold true today.
Thank you again, Shauna! Much Love!
Robert (and Sharon) Herringer
----------------------------------------
Tribute to Kathrine “Katie” Herringer, April 11, 1919 to March 18, 1998
by Shauna Kinniburgh
Auntie Kay!!!!
You may wonder how Auntie Kay and I became part of the same family. Well, before I was born, she met this Grand man named Raymond Robert Herringer, alias “Grandy”. Grandy was my dad’s look-alike brother. (I have to tell you that when we moved to a new house my Mom received a phone call from a new neighbor. She was quite embarrassed but she just had to tell Mom that she had seen Dad in their restaurant with another woman. Mom asked her if the lady had red hair and glasses? When the neighbor said yes, Mom told her that it was quite all right. She was his wife. So, when I was born into her family, I had the honor of having Kay as my aunt.
One of the amazing things about Auntie Kay was that she loved me just the way I am. Whenever we got together, she would be happy to see me and she would treat me like I was someone special. Part of the reason I felt special was because she never judged me but loved me warts and all. She always wanted to hear about how I was doing and later about my family.
As I think back to Auntie Kay I have many recollections of her.
I remember hearing of the best Labor and Delivery nurse in the country. Yes, even Sharon can attest to that. Auntie Kay assisted in the delivery of her granddaughters. Auntie Kay was in her element in this area, with a degree of compassion that rose to meet the needs of her patients. Stories were told of Auntie Kay and her colleagues sizing up the moms-to-be and betting beef steaks as to the weight and sex of the baby. The nurses had a great time and the moms were more relaxed. When I asked Auntie Kay about her predictions, she was so humble and said that it usually worked out. Dawn, maybe that’s why we always got those delicious steak barbecues.
When Auntie Kay retired from nursing, her and Uncle Ray had a wonderful party. A bonfire was built in the backyard fire pit and the nursing shoes were thrown in the fire. What a celebration!
Back to the steak dinners. Food at Uncle Ray and Auntie Kay’s was always wonderful. Auntie Kay had a real ability to make things extra special. I have Auntie Kay’s most amazing Carrot Cake recipe with Awesome Cream Cheese Icing. I’ve received many compliments for it.
After Auntie Kay developed diabetes, her love for baking could not be squelched. She kept producing wonderful desserts but they would appear at the desk on her Labor and Delivery Unit at the Medicine Hat General Hospital, for the staff to enjoy.
I also remember a Lady who was in love with her Grandy. One special thing that she did for Uncle Ray was to buy him seasons tickets to the Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey games, each year. She knew how much Uncle Ray loved hockey. You know that the guys missed him being at the games.
This past Wednesday was the most Grandy Day in Her life. Can you imagine the reunion? A big hug and kiss and Auntie Kay looking at Uncle Ray and asking, (hand on her hip) “Who told you that you could go first?” She really missed him.
This lady was proud of her boys and their families. She dearly loved her grandchildren.
Auntie Kay loved her “Little Shack” and yard. She was content with her house. You know she was a wonderful example to us today who are caught up in a world that tells us that we need “Bigger and Better”. Bigger is not always better but definitely more work.
I remember Auntie Kay’s ability to have the first and darkest tan of the year. When I asked her one day how she did it, she said that the winter sun reflecting off their white house was the best tanning place around. As soon as it was warm enough to sit in the sun, she was there. Then she was the envy of all around.
Uncle Ray and Auntie Kay had the most beautiful yard and garden. My Dad was always amazed that Uncle Ray’s radishes and lettuce were up before he even thought about getting his planted. I think, the first bit of brown to poke its nose through the snow received a seed. They were quick to share their wonderful produce. Mom and Dad tell of one time when they were camping at Elkwater. Uncle Ray and Auntie Kay’s car drove up with a care package of fresh vegetables. There was great excitement as Auntie Kay and Uncle Ray presented it and Mom and Dad received it.
I remember the Aunt and Uncle who enjoyed a sense of Adventure and traveled all over. It was fun to look at the pictures last night of Auntie Kay and Grandy from all the different places they visited. Mom and Dad got a phone call one day asking them to be ready to go at 8 o’clock the next morning. At 7:00 a.m. they heard a car in the driveway. They quickly got dressed and were soon on their way to Kimberly BC, for a bowl of Borscht Soup. About 10 miles out of Kimberly, Auntie Kay said that it would be a real shame if the soup of the day was Chicken Noodle. When they arrived, Mom had to go to the washroom, as Mom always does. All of a sudden, she could hear Auntie Kay laughing in the restaurant. The soup of the day was Chicken Noodle.
I remember Birthday gifts made with love, crocheted hearts filled with Pot Poruri or cute dolls dressed in their finest colorful outfits. Auntie Kay won prizes for her crocheted Afghans. One of the baby gifts for our children was a music box shop stitched with love. She produced enough crafts to fill a photo album with pictures and more.
My Dad had an appreciation for Auntie Kay and her brilliant mind. The Bible and God were not strangers to her. She read through the Bible more than once and told Dad of its many sides. When I look back to Auntie Kay’s life I see a woman of quiet strength. She was not only physically strong.
I remember playing at another aunt’s house on fourth street by the hospital and seeing Auntie Kay coming up the street. She was dressed in full uniform and had her navy and red nurse’s cape on and she was wearing a smile. She was on her way to or from work. What amazes me is that she would work an eight-hour shift and then walk home. It is quite a distance from the hospital to their home on Yuill Street. Bob said that she loved to walk.
Auntie had a strength in God that many didn’t realize. She loved to receive daily devotion books from Mom and Dad and then would comment to them on the thing she had read. She had a gift of serving others. She would go out of her way to make people feel comfortable and special and cared for. So many of the things that I’ve told you about her showed of her serving heart. Like Mom and Dad said, when you asked her to comment on her well being or about life in general, she would reply. “Tell me something, don't ask me”. She was more concerned about you than herself.
Therefore, she was never given to talk about others or judge them. She never complained. Auntie Kay lived by the Bible where it says “do to others as you would have them do to you “. She was always thoughtful of others and concerned for them. She would go the extra mile to do for others and would never do anything to hurt others.
So, when others didn’t follow that rule, she couldn’t understand and took things to heart. She would back away from those others and never return their hurtful ways. Some people may have seen this as weakness but I see that she had great control in not lashing back. Auntie Kay may not have felt good because of what others did to her but when it came right down to it, she didn’t need to lose any sleep about how she had treated others.
Now that Auntie Kay is gone to spend eternity with God and Grandy, we have to look back at what we can learn from her. We need to:
• Love God
• Do daily Bible reading
• Love Others
• Follow her Example of: Doing to others as we would have them do to us.
If we really think about it, we will think twice before we act or react to others. With Auntie Kay’s Passing, some of the serving and loving will be missing in the world. We need to take up the torch and carry on.
Before writing this tribute to Auntie Kay, I asked God to give me His perspective on her and her life. Therefore, I am signing this Love God. May God be your comfort and strength in this time of loss and always. May He remind you of the strengths and character builders, that your parents showed with their lives. We love you all.
Love, GOD - and Shauna too.
Shauna Kinniburgh (daughter of Oscar & Edna Herringer). March 21, 1998.
SAFELY HOME
I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
All’s so happy, all’s so bright!
There’s perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief are over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly,
Trod the Valley of the Shade?
Oh! but Jesus’ love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
And He came Himself to meet me.
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus’ arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows,
Pray to trust our Father’s will.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idle stand;
Do your work while life remaineth--
You shall rest in Jesus’ land.
When that work is all complete,
He will gently call you home;
Oh, the rapture of the meeting!
Oh, the joy to see you come!
Anonymous
