Katherine Kitty (Kitty) White

The Life of Katherine (Kitty) White

When someone dear to us passes it is difficult to describe what they meant to us and the void they leave behind. The words we use to describe our loved one fail to accurately describe everything they were in life, and what we feel at their passing. For all of us who knew Kitty, and especially for those of us privileged to call her Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, and Friend, we can all agree on what words we use and how we will remember her. Kitty was the ultimate nurturer. Her life was extraordinary in its simplicity and for the love she had for all those around her.

Katherine Brezden (later Katherine White), was born on January 15th 1925 in the village of Zalawie in Western Ukraine. At a young age, Kitty’s father Stefan, came to Canada. Five years later, Kitty and her mother Rozalia came to join him. Initially the small family lived on an acreage in Laidlaw, but later moved to a farm in Chilliwack. Stefan worked for CN Railway while Rozalia stayed at home. Kitty’s sister Jessie was born in 1933 when Kitty was eight years old. Kitty took pride in her education. After attending Chilliwack High School, she decided to become a Registered Nurse. She attended nursing school at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver and got her RN in 1948.

Kitty was a person who thrived on loving and caring for others. This took on a new dimension when she met her future husband Robert White. They met on a double date; however, they were not on that date with each other… but that could not be helped, and Robert was smitten with Kitty on the spot. The couple married on May 12th 1950. The happy couple lived their first few years of married life with Kitty’s parents in Vancouver. Soon the family grew- their first child Katherine Anne was born in 1952, followed by Steven Michael in 1953, Michael Robert in 1957, and finally, Paul Henry in 1960. In 1957 the family settled into their long-time home at 4229 Sunset Blvd. in North Vancouver. They lived there for 47 years, where they welcomed all of their grandchildren. Never one for not keeping busy, in 1970, Kitty decided to start working part time. She began in the shoe department at Woodward’s Department Store in Park Royal. When Woodward’s closed down she transferred to Eaton’s and then later to Hudson’s Bay. Kitty and Bob’s family grew larger as they welcomed five grandchildren, Nathan, Katie, Toby, Emily and Sherilynn. Family dinners and get-togethers at the family home in North Vancouver were a cherished tradition. In 2004 Kitty and Bob sold their home and moved into a two bedroom condominium on W.29th St. in North Vancouver. Sadly, in 2006, Bob passed away. Kitty was bereft, but her strong ties and her devotion to her children and grandchildren, helped her through this difficult time. Great joy came back into Kitty’s life as she began to welcome her six great-grandchildren. Her first, Olivia, arrived in October 2008, followed by Oscar in May 2009, Brooke in October 2011, Levi in December 2012, Kendall in February 2014 and Jakob in August 2014.

Kitty’s life was marked by a clear devotion to her family. She was a wonderfully attentive and devoted mother and grandmother. While raising her own children, Kitty was a homemaker. She was a loving role model with a strong constitution and always did what was best for them- including quitting smoking “cold turkey”. She always greeted her children with a cheery “hello” when they arrived home from school, and at midday, she always had a hot lunch ready and waiting for them. Bob and Kitty also had a knack for creating their own family traditions- whether that was taking the family to White Spot for hamburgers, or stopping every year to camp at Manning Park campsite #29 in the Hampton Campgrounds. Kitty adored her grandchildren and always played a large role in their growing lives. When her first grandchild, Nathan, was born, Kitty visited him every day for the first three months of his life. Kitty was enthusiastically involved in her grandchildren’s early lives- attending school functions, athletic events and dance recitals, parties and other activities. It was not uncommon to see Kitty and Bob cheering loud enough to drown out other parents on the sidelines of one of their grandchildren’s soccer games. They were so involved, they knew well their grandchildren’s friends and often included them and their parents in family meals and outings. Indeed, Kitty and Bob loved to spoil their grandchildren- often by stopping by unannounced with a pack of a dozen doughnuts from Tim Horton’s. Kitty was loving and accepting of all her grandchildren. Whenever she called her own children her first question was, “How are the kids?” Even as her children and grandchildren grew older- her care for them never diminished. Kitty always thought of herself first as a mother, and always took pride in all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In addition to being a light of joy for her children and grandchildren, Kitty was also a joy to have as a friend. Kitty was always a social and active person, involved in many pursuits and making many life-long friends along the way. She belonged to bridge groups and a badminton group for several years. Both Kitty and Bob had a passion for Bridge, and played twice a month with three other couples, the Pattersons, Weimers, and Latimers, for over 30 years. When Bob passed, Kitty became involved in duplicate bridge, playing three times a week at her local community center. Although social- she was no push-over, but rather quite competitive, and nothing made her happier than placing first with her partner in a match.

Finally, Kitty never forgot her heritage and where she came from. She was always interested in her Ukrainian heritage. Kitty belonged to a group of women with similar “roots” and would meet with them every Monday to read, write, and talk in their Ukrainian language. She regularly wrote letters home to her Ukrainian cousins and she and her sister Jessie, would send money and medicine to her relatives back home. Nothing made Kitty happier than taking a large family photo, including her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to send back home to “the old country.”

And so as we say goodbye for now to Kitty and remember her for the extraordinary woman that she was- let’s cherish the lasting legacy she has left us. She is responsible for this large wonderful family, full of light and love. She raised her children and grandchildren to be happy, healthy and loving just as she was. She has profoundly touched each one of us with her joy and her loving nature. We will remember her for the love she showed to us all, and in turn, we will remember to carry that love forward as she would have wanted.

With Love,

Emily Chalmers (Grandchild)

WHITE, Katherine

January 15, 1925 – October 20, 2014

Our loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Katherine (Kitty) White (nee Brezden) passed away peacefully on October 20, 2014 in her 89th year. Kitty was born in a small village called Zalawie, in what is now Western Ukraine on January 15, 1925. In 1930 she came to Canada with her mother. Predeceased by her parents, Rozalia and Stefan Brezden, and her beloved husband of 55 years, Robert White. Kitty’s memory will be cherished by her four children, Kathy (Walter) Brunner, Steven (Lerma) White, Michael White and Paul White. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Nathan (Alicia) Brunner, Tobias Brunner, Emily (Brandon) Chambers, Sherilynn White, and Katie (Rob) Plumb. Her adored six great grandchildren include Oscar and Levi Brunner, Brooke and Kendall Chalmers, and Olivia and Jakob Plumb. Also mourning her passing is her devoted sister Jessie Thomson (and family), and many other relatives and friends. A celebration of Kitty’s life will be held Thursday November 6, 2014 at 1:00pm at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 3879 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the charity of your choice.