Elaine Wood's mother

My mother- Katherine Miriam Burke- was born in 1914 in Jersey City, NJ. Both her parents- Jim & Hannah- were Irish Catholic and she was very proud of her heritage. She was the youngest of three- brother Tom & Sister, Esther who died at age eight of the Spanish Flu Epidemic. My mother was very young at the time and never spoke about her sister's death. Katherine was a sensitive child, good student and especially loved reading, poetry, words. She had a good, quirky sense of humor. I certainly inherited her love of books & reading, resulting in my becoming a book seller/collector/avid reader years later.

She had a good heart- was very generous and sensitive to the needs of others.

She won a scholarship to attend "Normal School" (aka teachers' college)- "Kay" had always dreamed of being a school teacher. When her mother insisted she attend secretarial school instead, she asked the local (Catholic) priest to intercede and the decision was reversed. This was a major turning point in her life. She taught school (social studies, special education) for many years & did not "retire" until she was eighty!

Although my mother had a difficult childhood, she was very generous and sensitive to the feelings of others. She always put the needs of "her girls" - myself & my older sister Janet- first. She taught me the importance of education, being financially independent (having grown up during the Great Depression & two World Wars) and doing something you love. Her motto was "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough."

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