1968 Marriage of John FINN and Kathryn Lesley ADAMS

The ADAMS family of Reg and Ena ADAMS and children Morris, Russell, and Lyn were living at Castle Hill, Taradale when Kathy was born. Kathy suffered severe hearing loss from a young age. Her favourite school was the very small school of Strathewen. She enjoyed playing cricket and was a real “tomboy”. She was very adventurous and climbed to the top of pine trees while the trees were bending in the wind.

When she was living in Hurstbridge she met a young man at youth group named John FINN who she eventually married in September 1968. Not long after that they moved to Smiths Gully and bought an old rat infested miners cottage. Kathy and John went on to build their own mud brick house on the property and demolish the miners cottage. They did everything themselves.

John taught Kathy how to drive on the property. Kathy loved being a mum of two girls Suzanne and Michelle. The family enjoyed many country drives which sometimes involved staying overnight. Kathy and John would sleep in the back while the girls would sleep upright in the front seats. They would often be joined by their close friends the WILSONs. They visited a lot of country shows and because John and Kathy both loved cars there were lots of trips to Car shows and country swap meets.

When the children were at school Kathy got her motorbike license. Kathy also did sign writing and screen printing for local businesses. Later on she worked in various factories.

Kathy insisted on being called Grandma. She was like a big kid, and taught herself basic woodworking skills to make toys for the grandchildren.

Another great love of Kathy's life was sport. She was an avid tennis player and played for many years. She was a stickler for sticking to the rules.

Kathy was a very capable person and would put her hand to anything. She could work on cars and fix flat tyres. She sewed clothes for herself and others, and upholstered car seats. She also loved to cook. Everything at home was cooked on a wood stove. She was very creative with her meals and used many home grown vegetables.

She was also a great believer in natural and herbal medicines.

Kathy loved to keep fit and healthy. She would rise at 5am every morning and go for a run or walk and do her exercise routine. She was a keen follower of the Melbourne Demons football club. Another love was for entering raffle competitions and lotteries. She won lotto in the 1970s. Her companion was her little dog Jack which John found one day left in a box on the side of the road. She was also passionate about family history and took a trip to Scotland and Ireland. She enjoyed exploring her mothers ancestral home in Scotland.

She also liked prospecting for gold, crosswords, and playing scrabble. She had a wonderful sense of humour and was a practical joker. If anyone needed help or was sick then she would be there to help. She was always calm in a crisis.

Kathy died in 2020 at the age of 71 years after a long battle with an incurable illness.