An Interview with Kathy Womble
Kathy Womble’s interview is a wonderful example of how stretching ourselves contributes to our lives and the Unity community. All ways, big or small, make a difference.
What would you like to share with the community about your life?
“I grew up in Rockford, Illinois with my two older sisters and my mom and dad. We were a very close family, and I enjoyed an old fashioned happy childhood. I still drive to Rockford almost every week to visit with my two sisters. Jim’s family moved into our neighborhood in Rockford when he was 15 and I was 14.
“After high school, Jim joined the Army for four years and went overseas to Korea and I was a receptionist at Estwing Hammer company. During his deployment in Korea, we began writing to each other and I was smitten when he sent me poetry. When he was home on leave in 1968, we were married.”
Jim and Kathy married when she was 21. They have two sons, Ross and Jason, who live in Cottage Grove and Janesville, Wis. One son has two daughters, Avery and Sam who are living in Wheaton, Illinois. They see their sons often for Sunday dinners after church and watching football, baseball, and golf. After living near Lake Ripley in Cambridge, Wis. for 25 years, Jim and Kathy are moving in October to a condo in McFarland.
“I retired as a United Airlines flight attendant after 17 years when United went bankrupt in 2003 and offered me an early retirement deal. I knew someone who was on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11. After 9/11, my job changed so dramatically, it wasn’t as enjoyable to fly. In the good years of flying, I would sit on the jump seat with other flight attendants and before I knew it, I’d know everyone’s life stories. That’s the spice of life. I always enjoyed that.”
After retiring, Kathy began volunteering. She worked as a respite provider and client assistant for Rainbow Hospice for a few years, and after that, the Cambridge pantry. “Every few years I like to try something new. Now I’m thinking about reading to local kindergartners when I finish my time on the Unity Board.”
What brought you to Unity?
“I grew up attending the Lutheran church and stayed with it until shortly before we came to Unity. I always had questions about certain things we read that I couldn’t completely accept. Jim suggested we come here because he is a good friend of Howard Olson who was a member at that time. I said to Jim that I picked the church we went to for our first 50 years so now it’s your turn to pick our church for the next fifty years”
They began attending in 2019 and became members in 2021. “ I really loved the idea that every person is a spiritual being and accepted wherever they are in their journey. I love the concept that every person is good.”
Prior to coming to Unity, Kathy didn’t like her experience with her church’s women’s circles. “I didn’t feel like I could be authentic. I kept trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. I needed a place of expansion rather than constriction, and it was here at Unity that I found it. When I first came here, I was in a fairly serious depression. I was really impressed with the prayer box and that the prayers went to Silent Unity. The second time we came, I used the prayer box and asked for prayer with Kari Henn.
“When Kari led a weekly book study, Kathy remembers how kind she was. Kari would walk with her after every study and end it with prayer. “It wasn’t long before my depression lifted. I felt like concentrating on my spiritual side was what I needed. I learned to do that when I am having any problem.”
Kathy says she has been more involved with Unity than any other church. “I have been non-stop busy since we joined. We’ve loved all the book studies. I was tapped to be on the Board, which I was reluctant about, but I thought ‘I guess I can do this.’ Yet I have to say that I’ve had more joy in the last eight years than I’ve ever felt before. If the question is asked, how has joining Unity changed your life, that’s how it’s changed my life”
Kathy is excited about Unity’s plans for change. She likes seeing things grow from an idea to refining the idea to becoming something concrete. After she finishes her Board term, “I’ll be looking around for my next adventure. There’s a lot of stuff I haven’t tried.”
What are your favorite activities at Unity?
“I love the book studies. There are so many opportunities to have transformative experiences by learning and having my consciousness raised. When everybody is together and concentrating, it’s more likely to bring about transformative energies.
“I’ve enjoyed working with the women’s retreat group. And I’ve enjoyed being on the Board, even though I’m going to limit myself to one three-year term.”
Is there anything you’d like to see Unity do that would make your experience even better?
“I would like for the people who have been here the longest to tell the story of how our church came about and how our church has changed over time. I’d like to know more about it.
“I would love to hear stories about how Unity changed people’s lives. There has to be a lot of experiences that would mean a lot to others. I think these interviews have added a tremendous amount.”