Kathy Strong

Be kind to others. Listen to your elders, your teachers. Stay in school, that’s what I did, stay in school no matter what comes up. I have seen kids who have dropped out and not been able to go back, stay in school. Try to always get along and be kind to each other rather than feuding constantly. That’s how we were brought up.

Kathy Strong

My name is Kathy Strong. I was born on December 14th, 1947. I grew up in North Minneapolis and have lived in Minneapolis all my life. I am the youngest of three kids. I lived with my mom, my brother and my sister. We lived on welfare in the projects. Life was hard when I was growing up but we all got along. My mom had epilepsy and her sisters helped our family.

My mom was someone that the neighbors always came to. They came to have coffee with her in the mornings and chat. Or they came to her if they had a problem with their children or their spouses. Mom was always taking care of everybody else. She was always there for other people, always.

While growing up, my family was very involved with the neighbors. We had picnics with neighbors or I would go over and help with their small kids. On Saturday mornings I would go to a class where I would read to the children. Sometimes my family would go to the milk man’s farm and ride horses. That was the thrill of my life, riding horses. Sometimes we would go and help him bale hay and do farm chores. It’s not like that nowadays, it seems people don’t get together with neighbors.

I learned to cook and serve people in high school. I later became a Candy Striper at St. Barnabas Hospital and worked in the coffee shop where we served the doctors, nurses and the public. I have had many different jobs including babysitting, file clerk at Prudential Insurance, and factory work making batteries for the soldiers that were in the Army. I worked at Bergins’ Fruit Company making tossed salads. I was a nurse’s aide.

I have always liked working with kids so I did daycare in my home for many years. I worked with children that were handicapped or also were mentally disabled. I even worked for Septran and helped children as a bus aide.

I first married in 1968 and had one daughter. In 1984 I married my husband John. I now have three daughters and eight grandchildren. Even though they live far away and I do not get to see them as often as I would like, I am very proud of them.

My mom died in 2002. It was hard because she had lived at home with me for about 20 years and I took care of mom until she passed. I follow after my mom in that I too have a caring heart and help others. I take care of people and give and give even though I don’t always get back.

During my life I have done a lot of volunteer work including volunteering as a Camp Fire leader and a volunteer at Howe School where my grandchildren went to school. I now volunteer at Hiawatha School. You can see me scooting down the halls on my scooter, which I use because of my severe arthritis. This does not stop me. I love helping the children.