Kathryn Jeff (Nee Craddy)

Kathryn Jeff (nee Craddy)
Born 28/12/1973 - 25/07/2007
Age - 33
Occupation - Teaching Assistant
Lived Redcar. Cleveland


Kathryn was an only child. She had one child, a son, Karl now 5 years of age.

Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer on 22 June 2005 and lost her battle with it on 25 July 2007

Kathryn was a beautiful girl, not only on the outside but inside as well. She was caring, generous and fun loving.

As a small child Kathryn loved people,animals and music, and through the years this didn't change at all. Wherever she was there was music and fun. Her favourite artists were Bon-jovi, Cher, Leeanne Rhymes and Shania Twain.

Kathryn also loved the children she worked with, and sometimes did respite care during the school holidays. She often talked to me about the children and I knew all their names and what they liked to do. We would often look through the photographs she had taken at school and on days out.

There was always another job to do as far as Kathryn was concerned. She could be painter, decorator, carpet fitter, tile fitter, gardner, self assembly expert, she would have a go at anything and invariably she would be good at it.

Kathryn was the one person you could rely on to be there for you, no matter what the problem. You could also rely on her to tell you the truth, whether it be good or bad she would tell it as it was. She had a temper, and if you had an argument with her you could guarantee it would be one hell of an argument. Kathryn was always right, whether it was where to put a mirror, hang a picture or set a table Kathryn would be right. On the rare occasions she actually admitted she was wrong we used to mark the date on the calender. She had a heart of gold and never bore grudges, she used to say life was too short for falling out.

Kathryn did the boxing day dip for a number of years and was once seen in plaster from hip to big toe being carried to the water by her friends. She had been told that as long as she dipped her foot in the water she would be counted as having done the dip. During her illness she had started to organise a charity night in aid of Zoe's Place and the Intensive Care Unit at Jmes Cook University Hospital. Unfortunately she died before this was completed. However her work colleagues decided to go ahead with it and thanks to them and the generosity of many organisations and lots of friends and family we managed to raise the fantastic sum of £2, 800, which was split between the two charities. Kathryn would have been over the moon at the amount raised.

I could go on and on about my beautiful girl who was also my best friend but I think I must draw to a close now.

Kathryn adored her little boy and he loved her to bits, she was his mammy, best friend and playmate. It must have broken her heart when she knew she had to leave him, but at least she is at peace now. Our hearts will never mend, a beautiful person has left our lives forever and we are left to carry on. We will carry on and we will make sure her little boy has a happy life, because that is what she would want us to do, but life will never be quite the same without Kathryn

Kathryn filled every minute of her life and she lived life to the full right to the end. Her motto from an early age was live fast and die young -
SHE DID.