The late Catherine (Kitty) Groves
Ballyduff and London
On a beautiful bright, warm and sunny morning on Thursday 8th October 2009, Kitty Groves, nee Aulsberry, was taken to her final resting place in the lovely village of Ballyduff Lower, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford.
Kitty had died peacefully on Sunday 27th September 2009 in St Joseph’s Hospice, Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8 after a long illness.
Kitty is survived by her two sons Mike and Patrick, her daughters Anna and Sharon, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her brothers Billy, Nicky, Tommy and pat, her sisters Mary, Joan and Bridget, her nephews, nieces, in-laws and her wide circle of friends both here in Ireland and in London.
Kitty was born in Blacknock, Kilmeaden in the beautiful county of Waterford on 1st January 1942 which was the start of a New Year and a new era!! Kitty went to school at Ballyduff National School and was very bright by all accounts but couldn’t spell for toffee!!
She met her future husband Bill, a Carlow man, who had to go all the way to London to find himself a Waterford woman, the love of his life. Kitty and Bill married on 21st October 1961 and made their homes in various parts of North London before settling at 33 Kings Crescent, Finsbury Park, for many, many happy years with their children.
Kitty worked in a number of places during her life including Courtney & Pope, Shirley Conran, Ambler Primary School to name just a couple. Whilst working for Shirley Conran, author of ‘Superwoman’, Kitty was washing up at the sink and Shirley was giving instructions to Kitty and said: “Kitty Groves, look at me when I am talking to you” to which Kitty turned around and repeated word for word what had been said. Shirley just walked away and said “You are superwoman” – which means Kitty was ahead of her time and had set the trend for multi-tasking before it became the in/buzz word.
Kitty also said that she hated kids, but guess where she worked, yes, you’ve got it, in a school as midday supervisor for a number of years and all the kids loved her.
Music and dance
Kitty had a great love of all things music and dance which she was legendary, many a dance hall we travelled to following one particular band “The Swinging Doors” who were the “in” band at the time with the Irish community. Kitty and I were waltzing partners and entered a competition in The Spotted Dog, where some family members nobbled the opposition and Kitty and I went on to win, which I knew we would have done anyway without their help!!!
Although Kitty loved and listened to music she would be the first to admit she couldn’t sing a note!! Another love of Kitty’s was quizzes which she excelled at the amount of trivia she kept in her head, made you wonder what else she could fit in it. Kitty was instrumental in the Waterford Association London winning hands down at the council of Irish counties Association quiz in May of this year even though she was not 100% fit. We are very proud of that achievement.
Kitty was actively involved in the Irish voluntary sector and served as a management committee member with the Irish Association North London, Waterford Association London and the Haringey Irish Community Care Centre in Stroud Green Road.
Kitty’s house was always open to all, and was the meeting place for everyone and anyone especially those that would come over from Ireland and other parts of the world.
Kitty’s husband Bill was ill for a while and died on 20th April 1996, and in that same year in September Kitty was diagnosed with renal cancer and was operated on in Waterford. Some four years ago she was given terminal status at St Joseph’s Hospice, she was their longest “respite patient ever”, which goes to show how long and hard she fought to remain with us, but now the fight is over and she is joining Bill and James and other family members, may they and she rest in peace.
In closing I would like on behalf of all the family to thank everyone for their support in the past, today and the future. Both families wish to extend their grateful thanks to St Joseph’s Hospice who cared for Kitty a number of times with compassion, dignity and care, which in turn gave us all extra years with her.
We would also like to thank Fr Michael PP and Fr Michael Enright for their lovely service on the day. We would also like to sincerely thank Daniel O’Brien, Patrick Mahood and Thomas Roche for their help in preparing, collating and printing the order of service for Kitty’s funeral mass. Kitty’s brother Billy Aulsberry on behalf of family and friends delivered her eulogy.
Slán Abhaile – Rest in peace Kitty