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I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan)

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I find this to be an appropriate video.

In the late evening of Thursday, December 15, my agents life was cut short. Returning home from dress rehearsal for the Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir's performance of "Messiah", fate took Kathy Lawson, of Stonewall Talent in Hamilton Ontario.

Snow covered the already treacherous strech of highway six making it impossible for Kathy to react quick enough to avoid a tractor trailer coming from the opposite direction in her lane.

Funeral services where held yesterday at, the same church Kathy and her wife Patti where married a year and a half ago. Kathy and Patti where one of the first gay couples to respond to Canada's coming of age, when it changed it's laws allowing same sex couples the same rights as straight couples.

I paid my respects on Tuesday at the funeral home and could not bring myself to attend her funeral. CH Hamilton aired a wonderful tribute to Kathy and I wish to share some screen captures from the video that can be found here. Kathy's Service.

Peace, and warm wishes and to the start of a new year.

Kendall.

Centenery United Church, Hamilton, Ontario 

Trish 

Some of the clients from Stonewall. 

Kathy in happier times. 

Patti Smith, Cathy's wife. 

Kathy's beautiful presentation to the lord, warmly accepted. 

Doug Lawson. 

Patty Smith 

Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir 

Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir 

Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir. 

You Will Be Missed Kathy

Hallelujah!-From Handel's Messiah.


To See The Light

To see the light dim from your eyes,
The room is hushed with silent cries.
Holding your hand, tears stain my face,
Moments now until you find grace.
A life lived well, death not disduised.

Many have left; they claimed the prize,
Without us there to say goodbye;
From life they vanished without trace,
To see the light.

How it is, I cannot surmise,
The pain you feel when someone dies.
That death had seemed so out of place,
But now I know that's not the case

As I watch through tears, a soul rise
To see the light.
-Patti Smith, 2005




On Friday myself and all the friends of Kathryn Lawson, partner of Stonewall Talent Agency in Hamilton, Ontario, were dealt a sudden and painful loss when we received the news of her tragic loss.

Details as posted in the obituaries.

In the late evening of Thursday, December 15, the voice of an angel was silenced. Returning home from dress rehearsal for the Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir's performance of "Messiah", fate took a hand and lifted a dear soul from our midst. Much loved by all whom she touched, Kathy will be missed; her warm, gentle smile and kind laugh are her legacy to us. Beloved daughter of Doug and Jacquie Lawson, sister to David and Martha-Lynn, Jim. Aunt to Alexandra, Miranda, Kobi, Ethan and Devin. Beloved friend to Jennifer and Pate. Treasured by a chosen family of hundreds, and finally, Kathy was the world and so much more to her wife, Patti: Life, Love, Everlasting. Always Intertwining. We invite you to celebrate a most wonderful life with us. We invite you to celebrate a most wonderful life with us. A visitation will be held Tuesday December 20 at Dodsworth and Brown Funeral Home, 15 West Avenue North (1 block east of Wellington), from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. The service will be held at 2:00pm Wednesday, December 21 at Centenery United Church, 24 Main Street West, at McNab. Kathy, as part of her legacy, would appreciate a donation to the Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic Choir, whose music was so much a part of her, in lieu of flowers.

Here is a clip of the news coverage of her funeral service as seen on CHHamilton,
Kathy's Service. I'm sorry there isn't any sound.

"Forever now and forever hence, will the aria play and the dance of the heavens and the earth stride on in harmony."

-From the poem "Eternal" written by Kendall Oliphant.

As we walk along the path of thorns, that leads us through the valley of death toward the dawn of enlightenment, please be reminded as we approach the the day we celebrate the birth of our lord, that nobody walks alone. Now is the time to join hands in unity so that we can be strong against winds of sorrow, like the mighty willow tree.

Together we shall not fear the darkness that can leave us with feelings of sadness. The tree of woe shall lie withering, starved of the eternal sun. On the crest, the tree of hope shall stretch forth its roots, soaking up all of the heavens nurture to form a canopy of mighty limbs that bend with the ebb and flow of life.

This strange dance between darkness and light is gods test of our will. A test that is not always fair, but one neverless a neccessity. The strong will excell at the task set forth. The prize, their rightful spot atop the branches of the tree of hope. There they sit casting aloud their song of praise to their loved ones, telling all the message sent from the heavens "Darkness is temporary, enlightenment is Eternal"

I will miss you Kathy, your legacy shall burn on forever.

Sincerelly,

Kendall