Did you get enough?

As I am tending to my chores this morning, I begin contemplating events scheduled for the day…a funeral and a wedding. I think it is the first time I would attend a memorial and a celebration in one day and I begin processing how I will transition my emotions from one event to the next. It then occurs to me that both events are a celebration of life and my anxiety begins to settle a bit.

I have fallen behind on sharing my memories of Kathy Lupo…perhaps because I have still been processing another beautiful life taken from us way too soon. Thru this process, the words simply were not rushing to me with any sense of urgency…though I tried. It was when I realized that love has no deadlines, the words started flowing thru my mind effortlessly and seamlessly. I learned a long time ago that writing cannot be forced when it is meant to come from the heart.

• Simply put, Kathy was an angel of God…someone who we could all hope to exemplify. With 40 years of dedicated service, Kathy had the longest tenure with our King and Prince family. Kathy had exceeded the could have and should have of retirement not just because she loved her job but because she loved her extended family so much. She was a dedicated mother, wife, daughter, sibling and dear friend who endured unfortunate health challenges thru the years due to car wreck, throat cancer, subsequent eating challenges as a result of cancer treatments, etc… However, you would never know the challenges that Kathy faced on a daily basis because her radiant, beautiful love for life never deviated…she was our blossom of sunshine each and every day…someone who inspired each and every one of us with her strength and devotion. She was not only a pillar of strength for her loved ones but in her church, attending mass, choir, bible study groups and yoga…when she was able.
• When Kathy was not tending to her flock or engaged in church activities, she could be found walking or doing yard work, as she loved to be outside.
• Kathy had a K&P baseball cap in every color ever made thru the years. Since it was required to wear a cap when working around food, she always made certain that she had one to match her outfit each day.
• Kathy loved to spend time in the thrift stores, while sporting a top the next day that she would proudly announce that she picked up for $3.99. It would be Kathy and our late Alice Wiggins that would instill in me the same rush for the priceless bargain.
• While Kathy was always eager to serve you lunch in her cafe (the break room at work), you were expected to treat her cafe as you would your own dining confines at home.
• You never put anything in the microwave without covering the plate. If you did, you would suffer the unpleasantries of Kathy’s wrath…lol.
• This was only to ensure that every lunch shift had the same privilege of dining in a clean environment as the first shift.
• If there was a limited supply of main entree, Kathy would put up one of  her infamous notes indicating your limited portion. Again, this was to serve no other purpose other than to ensure there would be enough left to feed everyone.
• If Kathy ever slowed down long enough to eat lunch with me, we would engage in conversations regarding her daughter and husband. She would always update me on Mary Beth’s academic achievements, wedding, jobs, Mary Beth’s husband, their visits home, the dogs between all of them, how her husband faithfully and religiously delivered her to work in later years and would pick her up after work, etc…
• Kathy would eventually convince me to drink 1/2 cafe coffee since I am one to drink coffee throughout the day. She even turned me on to the 1/2 cafe brand they sell at Harris Teeter…best invention since sliced bread!
• By nature, Kathy loved the winter but found the summer heat almost intolerable. As a result, she would keep temps in her cafe more to her liking…FRIGID! While those that move around in their jobs found the temp quite pleasant in her cafe, you could always spot the team members that sit at a desk most of the day huddled in the corners of the room, away from the vents.
• Kathy made the BEST COLESLAW EVER!!!  Hot dog and hamburger days will never be the same 😦
• Those that like tuna fish, claim she also made the best tuna fish for deli day. While I have not been able to eat tuna fish since my pregnancies (smell became offensively nauseating), Gene would ONLY stop long enough to eat lunch when Kathy made her tuna fish spread on Fridays.
• Kathy always kept photo boards updated in her cafe. In time, Kathy learned to never point the camera in my direction…lol…but she always took pride in the photo collages thru the years. I did not know until today that after updating collages from time to time, she would hand deliver photos to former team members at home or their present day place of employment.
• Kathy always decorated her cafe with applicable decorations from her personal collections for each approaching Holiday.
• As Ben referenced, Kathy’s zest for life was always reflected with a bright greeting, warm smile and laughter, a hug (sometimes best to have a barrier if you could not predict the enthusiasm behind her bear hugs…lol), a dance…and she would always have music on in her cafe.
• Kathy would always ask where you have been if you were absent more than one day. If I responded, “business travel”…she wanted to know every detail about how my trip went. She had a way of accounting for each and every sheep in her flock on a daily basis.
• Never did you leave her cafe without her asking “did you get enough”? Sure, Kathy…those 2 chicken wings will certainly stick to my ribs for the next 5 hours (when the kitchen was backed up with banquets…so to no fault of Kathy’s). Note: comic relief – simply side stepping with some overdue humor of mine in these moments of grief.
• Although Jerry would instigate endearing debates with Kathy, she would always make certain he had thousand island dressing for his salads.
• Even though Mr. Johnson implemented deli day, he always had a PBJ sandwich…so Kathy would always make sure he had all the makings for such.
• Kathy knew I preferred chicken breast…so she would always make certain there was at least one included in a pan of drum sticks.
• If we should be so lucky to have bacon one day, she would always set some aside for Susan and myself. She knew everyone’s likes and dislikes and would always go out of her way to cater to our nuances without any expectations on our part.

As Julie and I were driving in to work several days ago and in the midst of casual conversation…I slowed down…we both stopped conversing and peered ahead at what we were certain was Kathy walking down the street. With no exchange of words necessary to read one another’s mind, Julie calmly said, “you know she (Kathy) will forever be with us…we were certainly blessed to know such a beautiful soul”.

Kathy touched so many lives…she was loved by all who knew her and will certainly be missed! This realm, as we know it, will not shine as bright without Kathy…BUT…I have no doubt she went thru heaven’s gates dancing. In the meantime, I will smile when I leave the break room each day knowing she is looking down on her flock asking, “did you get enough”?

Dedicated to Kathy…you were the adhesive that held our hospitality family together for 40 years, as evidenced today with respects from past and present team members, managers,  owner, family and friends. RIP my dear friend…heaven will certainly shine bright now that you are home!