Kathy Husby
In Honor and Memory of Kathy Husby.
As the eldest on her family’s farm, Kathy grew up to the beguiling song of the open plains and prairies of Vermillion, South Dakota. The possibilities just over the horizon called out to her in a jangle of rockin ', soulful tunes that characterized the late 60s. She caught the travel bug early, catapulting herself to Switzerland in an exchange program during her teacher training at college. Extending her adventure long past the program ended, it was eventually time to head home and liaise with fate.
She married her highschool sweetheart, now an engineer and designer in Minneapolis. Being free of imposed restrictions on her future during her stint abroad, she found love and adventure in a dedicated and caring Bob Husby, and success as a realtor in the City of Lakes.
Quiet and private, she would rarely, and to great embarrassment on Bob’s part, expound on her appreciation of her husband’s dedication and sensitivity. Indeed, Bob took up an almost spiritual quest to make meaningful contributions to Kathy’s quality of life. Her love of travel and exploration was exhibited by her joy of driving and riding in small, cute, quick cars like the '79 VW Rabbit Convertible she drove regularly, risking speeding tickets going 60 in a 40 during trips to the grocery store while blasting rock and roll tunes.
Together, the Husby’s had two children, Tyler and Keisha. They both learned to drive in the family’s mythic Cabriolet. Tyler inherited his mother’s love of travel, while Keisha attributes her love of music to Kathy’s support and influence.
“My parents often had dinner parties at our home and she modeled to me how to be welcoming and a good listener. I also remember baking and cooking with her as a child. She found joy in ordinary moments and tried to create as normal a life for us as possible." - Keisha
During her difficult days, Kathy took pleasure in soap operas and the news. The cyclical predictability grounded her. On occasion, she indulged in games of backgammon with Bob to take a break from screens–another structure to the days.
Cars allowed Kathy to see the world around her without putting a strain on her physically. Seeing sights, sampling an exotic new snack, and listening to the classics fed something wild in her, that she kept close to her heart. It makes sense then, that after moving to a long-term care facility, Bob rescued a 80's VW Cabriolet, refurbished it, and started a beloved tradition of taking Kathy out for long drives to break up the monotony of her new life.
“The frequent outings with my dad in her later years brought her so much joy, you couldn't help but smile when they drove by with no destination at all.” – Tyler
Bob kept a journal of all of their outings, describing their conversations and exploits. When even the car rides became too much for Kathy, they relived their years of outings through these entries. You could sense the joy she was feeling by simply reminiscing about the fun times they had in their little car.
Kathy was the truest personification of a hero. She steadfastly maintained her humor, grace and compassion during a truly stressful life. "She kept our family clean, fed, organized and loved. She had an astonishing inner strength that never faltered while she continued to nourish her family and loved ones in an extraordinary manner. Everyone we knew was amazed at her will power and commitment to enjoy life as much as possible,” remembers Bob.
“She was the strongest woman on the planet, in my opinion. The strength of a thousand people in one.”
