Lasting Memories
Kathleen Cairns
April 12, 1930-April 14, 2013
Santa Clara, California
Submitted by Susan Eisenhower
Kathy Cairns died peacefully in her home on April 14 surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Kathy lived in Palo Alto many years while married to David Reese and attended First United Methodist Church. She sang in the Chancel Choir. She moved to Santa Cruz 20 years ago where she was involved with the UCSC Arboretum and Norrie's Gift Shop, loved playing bridge and attending concerts both in Santa Cruz and the Bay Area.
She is survived by her four children: Susan Eisenhower and Karen Brown of Wheat Ridge, Colo.; David Reese of Burlingame, Calif.; Kevin Reese of Washington, D.C., and grandchildren Philip and Lara Eisenhower, Melissa Peterson, Meredith, Jessica, and Barret Reese, and Malinda Reese.
I knew Kathy during my four years at Stanford and two years post-graduation when I worked at the Palo Alto First Methodist Church. I will just second all that AJ has said, and I can just hear that heavenly choir of all those loved ones who have crossed over. Thanks for the happy memories and harmonic sounds.
I was lucky enough to grow up with the Reese family and to have many great times with Kathy over the earlier years of my life. What a wonderful, warm person she was and how good she was with granting space, understanding and support to kids growing up the turbulent '60's. We were all a bit nutty then, but Kathy didn't waiver in her love and encouragement to all of us. She was a great friend of my mother and father's, and though she left the Bay Area she stayed in touch with calls and visits over the last years of my parents' lives. I can hear her laughter, her absolutely raucous and hilarous sense of humor, and also her kind and caring words when they were needed. And I can see her standing in the choir, singing her heart out. She was really someone special. I know that her family knows this, but she loved them all very much and was terrificaly proud of each child and grandchild. I am so very glad she was part of my own life. My love to Sue, Karen, David and Kevin-- thinking of you all, and knowing that somewhere out there, there is a heck of a good choir with Dave, Kathy, Conn, Pat, Bart and Barb, Howie, Eileen, Marge-- they are probably raising the roof! Fondly, AJ