Requiem for Kathy

Good Morning and welcome everyone. I will very much

Like to thank each one of you all for coming for the

Home Going Service of our Lovely Dearly Departed

Kathy Hornblower. I am Reverend Clifton Hightower

Kathy’s Pastor for over eight years. That is about how

Long I have known Kathy. We met for the very first

Time at an Anti Abortion Rally in Oakland. We where on

Opposing sides of the Issue. After an Heated argument

We struck up a Friendship. Believing God did make our

Divergent paths cross. And moved by Divine Right Action

I invited Kathy to come join me in Sunday Fellowship at my

Church. Lo and Behold. Sporting a Gray Beret. There she was.

On Pew early. She has been our Cherish Member ever since

Until the Good Lord choose to take her onward. Could not

Convince her while she was with us to change are views

On Reproductive Rights or other Issues she held so dear to

Her Brave Heart. We Love and appreciate her all the same.

A very sweet Soul when you come to know her. Kathy was

An only Child. Her surviving Relatives we could contact was

Her ailing Mother Heather in a Nursing Home in Bakersfield

Too sick to make the trip here today. But regrets are absence

Not seeing her Beloved Daughter on her Final Journey to the

“Sweet By and By “ Her very words if I can quote her. And she

Did send Flowers: White Roses with Fond Farewell. When we

Spoke. She very much insisted “Dress my Daughter please in

White Lace and Yellow Chiffon for I do want Katharine looking

Like a Precious Bride when she gets to Heaven.” Which I did

Honor her very wish. For you all that did attend her Viewing

Did Kathy not look like an angelic Bride lain in Sweet Repose?

Far be it funny for me to dare admit she was frowning. No way

Kathy will be caught Dead in a Dress. Let alone in Chiffon. Not

To talk of Lace. Nothing but Tee shirts Jeans with those Tattoos

Much to the chagrin of the Elderly Congregation who will so

Dearly miss her the same way I do. She did blessed us by her

Very kind presence. For I can speak same for the rest of

the Members. “Love is not enough, Kathy. You will still always be in

Our hearts forever. Peace Out my Friend. If I may borrow

Your words.” Let me not take all the time. For we have Kathy’s

Best friend present with us. One so dear to her very Heart.

Florence Hargatty will now come up for the Eulogy

“Thanks Rev.” You can all call me Flo. Jeez, this is so hard

Never thought I will one day ever be here doing this for Kathy

Sorry. For I just can’t stop crying. “It is okay Florence. God is

With you through it all” “Thanks Rev. I think I can continue”

“Girl, get it together Flo.” That is what Kathy would say, and

Will demand I must be strong. So here I go. For I have known

Kathy since our college years at Cal Berkeley. First Kathy and I

Were Roommates. We became Friends. And eventually an Item

Back and Forth. Friends then Partner. And so Forth. Oh well.

After Graduation since we dig Berkeley we remained in town

Kept close through Thick and Thin. What an experience we had

Such a kind and wonderful person she is. Oh how I so wish

The whole World knew Kathy the same way I have known her.

Boy what a Fighter she is. quite a Soldier for any Cause worth

Fighting for. “We Gotta fight the Powers that Be, Flo” And to

Which I gallantly respond. “Okay Sister Comrade. Where them

At. I like Fight” Which she does not find amusing. Kathy is

Serious and Fired Up. She finds the Hardcore Protest Marches

There she is Thick in the Thick of It screaming her Head off

Waving Placard. Demonstrating like hell. What a Bold fixture

At Rallies she is. “Kathy Kathy Kathy. What a Woman of such

Courage and Uncommon Grit. I have never seen you this very

Quiet. It is not you to give any one or me the Silent Treatment

For you can now Rest in Peace.” I am not done yet. I practically

Pleaded with my Friend still lying so peacefully here, not to

Embark onto Washington DC. To join the Million Black Men March.

“Kathy. Why? Take a good look at you, a White Woman

For crying out Loud. Your Presence is not needed at the Rally

An unwanted distraction to the Marching Brothers you Kathy

Shall become” “I can see now where you going Flo” “You don’t

Want some of the attention” “Oh know Flo. I don’t want that

Steal the Show. No. Just a show of my Support” “No. Kathy. No!

Keep your Butt in California” “Okay I agree Flo I am persuaded”

For I still crack up just talking about it. Wanna hear one more

Thing funny? “Kathy. They have to hear this.” Boy I can’t stop

Laughing. “Get it together Flo.” Here it comes for here I go

Somehow Kathy found out that her name was on the FBI

Most Watch List. Mad as a Hatter. She managed to get hold

Of an Official at the Bureau. Not to protest her name being featured

on the list. No. It is that it was so incorrectly spelled

“Kathy with a K. You misspelled it with a C. How dare you all”

To which he sincerely apologized. Went ahead and offered

To send in a Recommendation for the removal of her name

From the List, for it was discovered she was only just another

Harmless Blowhard from Northern California. To which my

Kathy responded. “No, that is not necessary. Fix the spelling

Leave my name on. Good for my street credibility and respect”

That is Kathy for you, people. I still cannot accept that my Dear

Friend is no longer with us. O how I will miss you much for we

Made each other laugh. Now you making me cry a river for you

Gone too soon. “Kathy. I guess when one can do both. Laughing

In the midst of tears of sorrow. There is a rainbow in the sky “

Now one more thing before I wrap. O My. I use to be afraid

Of Public Speaking. Now I cannot stop speaking Kathy has

Another Best Friend. I guess we can conclude more like her

Son. Her beloved Cat, Geronimo Kat. Named after the Great

Geronimo or Geronimo Pratt. She would not say. “I tell you

I kill you Flo.” And she just might do just that. I did promise

Kathy I would adopt Geronimo Kat right before she passed

I now have him in my Care. So adorable and loving. I feed him

Only gourmet cat food as she made me commit to do. “He

Is already missing you. He reminds me of you his Mom. Fierce

But in a Gentle way. I will always keep you in my heart. See you

In Heaven one day my Girl. I am certain no doubt when the

Saints come right marching in. If I know you well my Sister

Friend. You will be in that Number bringing up the Rear with

Placard. No way you gonna miss a March for a Righteous caus

Bye Kathy my Rock. And may angels escort you on” That’s all

I came to say. “Thank you Rev.” ”Florence. So well delivered

Talk about a True friend. What a Tribute. God bless your Heart”

Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for your patience. As we are

Coming to the End. I would like the Church Choir to come sing

“What you say? Some one wants to do a Solo for Kathy?” “Who

Would you be Sir?” “Zach Baylor. Kathy’s friend and neighbor”

“What Song please?” “Boyz II Men. It’s so hard to say good bye””

“Very apropos. Please by all means do proceed” Ladies and

Gentlemen. How about that for Zachary Baylor. “Thank you.

Kathy will sure be missed. What a Song. Soon we shall meet her

In Heaven again.” We are waiting Choir. Please do Step forward

We are now at the end of a Glorious Sending Home Event for

Kathy Hornblower. And as for when the Choir comes to sing us

Out in Procession. Escorting the Casket to its final Resting Place

Please when the Pall Bearers do come for her Body. Can we all

As a Body rise Up in a Show of proper Honor and Respect for

Katharine. Thank you all again for coming. For God’s Peace and

His Tender Mercies to all of you. As I now present the Choir.