"Initially we thought we had caught it early," Anne said.
But further scans just before Christmas showed Kathryn's cancer was terminal, and it had spread "to a range of organs".
"They hadn't caught it early," Anne said.
The phone line goes silent for a moment before Anne gathers herself and wipes away the tears.
Kathryn would have told her off for that.
"The one 'gift' of cancer is you know death is coming," Anne told the Bay of Plenty Times, yesterday.
This knowledge allowed Kathryn to prepare for her own passing.
"Her indication to us when she got the diagnosis was she didn't want us to be sad. We had to make dying fun," Anne said.
"We had to be positive, that was the spirit of her."
Kathryn was born and raised in Waihi and spent most of her adult life in Waihi Beach. She had two sisters: Anne, who was the oldest, and her twin Sue.
"They were born 50 hours apart," Anne said. "They were more like best friends than sisters. They had this knack of walking in the same stride."
Kathryn was also a devoted mother to her 20-year-old daughter Mikayla.
It was Kathryn's dying wish to attend her daughter's wedding, so the wedding was brought forward to May.
"Kathryn made the wedding," Anne said.
"There was a small part after the wedding that Kathryn hoped she would kick on longer, but that wasn't the case."
Kathryn worked for the Department of Social Welfare at Waihi in the benefits and pensions branch from 1981 to 2002.
During her time there, Kathryn bought her first house at age 21 in Waihi Beach.
After the Department of Social Welfare, Kathryn began the rest of her working career in administration and management at schools in Waihi Beach, Waikino and Rotorua.
Kathryn moved to Rotorua after landing a job at Westbrook School where she worked for the last 18 months.
Caring for her ill father in the last two years of his life was one of Kathryn's major commitments, aside from caring for her daughter.
"Kathryn cooked dad's daily meals, looked after him at home, was his plus-one for coffee and lunch, pretty much every day, and social occasions when they arose," Anne said.
"She was one of those people who would do anything for anyone. She was a community connector, a community weaver... she was a lot of fun."
THE NOTICE:
SPECK, Kathryn Jane (Pattillo). If you are reading this I have passed, died, jumped over to the flip side on 28 June 2018. Do not mourn my loss I have lived a wonderful, fulfilling life with lots of adventures and travel, with a wonderful family and friends. I could not have gotten through the last months without the incredible love, support, nagging of my demanding sisters Anne, Sue and my daughter Mikayla and son in law Thornton, and of course cats Mongy and Cammy; who at times probably wished that my death had come early because of my demands. (not really!) However, I do like to get my money's worth! I'd like to thank my incredible care team Hospice Rotorua, Doctor Annie Walden and Westbrook School.
THE FUNERAL:
When: Monday, July 2
Where: Waihi Beach RSA
