Debra Lynn Lakin-Peters
I have so many memories of my Aunt Cathy and Uncle Harold. It was great when they lived just down the street from us in North Tustin. I missed them and my cousins, Dawn, Ralph, and Leslie, when they moved to Oregon. I remember many fun trips to the mountains with them. They also had great 4th of July parties, In 1974 they graciously hosted the wedding of my father, Jack, and my step-mother, Peggy, at their house.
I remember when I was a freshman in high school and I was so excited to ride the rooter-bus to my first football game until I saw the driver was my aunt (just kidding…it wasn’t that bad). So many people must of knew her in Tustin because I was asked a lot if she was my mother.
Aunt Cathy would knit and crochet the most beautiful afghans, ponchos, etc. When I got married in 1981, Cathy completed the gift Grandma Lucille Lakin was making for me and couldn’t finish because she died just prior to my wedding. I remember crying because that was so special and thoughtful of Cathy, and it was the only gift I could remember receiving from Grandma & Grandpa Lakin since they had become Jehovah Witness and didn’t celebrate birthdays and Christmas. Cathy later would make beautiful homemade cards and I saved every one of them. Really I did.
When I had to make several business trips to Vancouver, Washington, Cathy and Harold had me stay with them over the weekends. It was nice to spend time with them and my cousins on those trips and they were all so great.
I’m so grateful that my daughters and I took a road trip up to Oregon in 2013, the summer before Uncle Harold passed away. We got to talk about old times and look at photo albums with everyone. Leslie and her son, Lucas, also took us to the cabin on the Columbia River that I had heard so much about from Aunt Cathy.
I loved them both and will always have fond memories of them.
Debra Lynn Lakin-Peters
