Kay's Triumph (in Living Color)

"Kay's Triumph" is not an ordinary biographical account of a struggling suburban New York woman. It is a collection of stories about a brave, hard working, righteous woman who, through her solid values, wisdom, strength and perseverance, achieved Hall of Fame greatness. Catherine "Kay" McCoy White was an exemplary parent, teacher and community servant. The daughter of two working class immigrant parents, she was born in 1917, orphaned at the age of 4, and adopted by two aunts who...
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"Kay's Triumph" is not an ordinary biographical account of a struggling suburban New York woman. It is a collection of stories about a brave, hard working, righteous woman who, through her solid values, wisdom, strength and perseverance, achieved Hall of Fame greatness. Catherine "Kay" McCoy White was an exemplary parent, teacher and community servant. The daughter of two working class immigrant parents, she was born in 1917, orphaned at the age of 4, and adopted by two aunts who raised her as their own in Upper Manhattan, NYC. Kay was a successful student and working girl during the Depression. Wanting to have a family of her own, she married in 1942. After WW II, she and her husband, Robert A. White, moved to Levittown, NY along with tens of thousands of other pioneers who migrated to the nation's first major suburb. In early 1952 her troubled husband abandoned her and their four children, leaving her penniless and car-less. Throughout the 1950's she struggled alone, focusing on her children's well being, and managed to eke out a meager living on a less than modest welfare allowance. After ten years on welfare, she became a first grade teacher in Holy Family School, Hicksville, NY, where she was a charter member of the new faculty. After teaching hundreds of children from 1961-1975, never earning more than $6000 a year, Kay died tragically in 1975, the innocent victim of a fatal auto collision. "Kay's Triumph" is much more than the biographical account of a woman who rose from abandonment and poverty to become a successful parent and teacher. It is a collection of dozens of inspiring stories that should serve to inspire readers of all ages and life situations, whether they are parents, teachers, or plain citizens. The stories contained in Kay White's brief life journey are profound, first hand, life-changing lessons that her son, author Peter White, learned by watching Kay live her life, witnessing her uphill struggles, and being by her side as she endured life's pains and hardships by herself, all the while managing to succeed in doing so much good for so many others. Of the values she taught, Peter said," I admired her strength as she stood up for what was right, no matter what the personal consequences. I learned from her of the willingness to persevere, to be loyal, to value family and religion, to overcome fear, to trust in others, and to be a community-minded citizen activist. Her strong character and her strict moral code guided me and my siblings back then, and have become a beacon for us ever since. Long before Spike Lee coined the phrase 'Do the Right Thing,' Kay White provided many with that important message." Readers will find it difficult to remain unmoved by the lessons taught by the life lived by Kay White.