It’s Never Too Late

Kaye is a lady full of life, hope, and joy. She’s always smiling and is a lady that lives life to the fullest that is for her age. You see, Kaye is ninety-five years old. She was born in Hartford, Wisconsin on October 15, 1913, however, her family moved to Marshfield, Wisconsin where she grew up. She was only five when her mother died. She and her sister were still very young when her father died a year and a half later. From then on, her grandparents raised the girls until they were grown.

Kaye has many early memories, but the most thrilling was to hear the countless bells chiming in their neighborhood when World War I ended. Her grandmother made a big pot of coffee and all the neighbors got together to celebrate the end of the war. You see, the telephone hadn’t been invented yet, nor the radio. Kay actually remembers when the telephone and radio were invented.

After graduating high school, she went to work at the Marshfield Herald News as a reporter and worked there for two years. She loved her job and writing. A short time later, she began dating a boyfriend she knew from high school. It wasn’t long before Cliff and Kaye were married and moved to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Later they moved to Phoenix, Arizona, settled down, and had two boys, Alan and Gene. They lived in Arizona until the children were almost grown.

In 1947, they moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon and the boys finished high school. In 1949, Kaye started a job at the Air Force Base after World War II, and worked there for over twenty years as a buyer and purchasing agent. They were very impressed with Kaye and sent her to nine different schools because she was a valuable employee and serious about her work and scored high on every test.

Another art that Kaye excels in is singing. While still living in Phoenix, Arizona, she joined the Sweet Adelines, an internationally known female barbershop singing group, and helped to start the chapter there. Later in Klamath Falls, after she had retired from her job, she started a chapter in Klamath Falls. Kaye also loves to travel and has visited many countries including Hawaii and the Philippines.

After her son Gene graduated from college, he moved to Rogue River, Oregon and became a teacher at Rogue River High School teaching music and choir in 1967. He met his wife Kim, who was also a teacher at the school, and they married in 1977. A year later, they had their first daughter Elizabeth.

Gene and Kim had three more children. Gene went to seminary, became a minister, and has a church the All the World Christian Church in Grants Pass, Oregon. Alan went into the Navy after graduating, moved to California, fell in love, married, and had four children. They lived there until moving to Oregon in the 90’s.

Kaye missed her boys, so in 1979 she moved to Rogue River also. Kaye has inherited quite a family. She now has eight grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Her family loves her very much. She has always been involved in their lives and has many friends. She has a happy, healthy outlook on life and a very positive attitude. She thanks the Lord for that, and believes if you don’t have the Lord, life is not worth living. She has prayed in church that she never wants to have “an old lady attitude.” She said to me as I was saying goodbye, “It’s never too late.” I believe she’s right; it is never too late to enjoy the life you have as long as you have it, and she has had her life ninety-five years. I’m not the only one who thinks she is a very special lady, and I’m proud to call her my friend.

Helen L. Price