Kathy Brockway, a longtime devoted supporter of the Amiret Busy Bees, talks with Katie Lanoue at last week’s Amiret Busy Bees’ Ice Cream Social. Brockway was not your ordinary guest, as she continues to recover from a devastating stroke she suffered in 2021. Photo / Per Peterson

Amiret Town Hall last Tuesday for Amiret Busy Bees’ ice cream social.

One stood out.

Kathy Brockway, a longtime and beloved veterinarian in Tracy and passionate supporter of local 4-H kids for decades, attended the annual event just over a year after suffering two debilitating post-surgery strokes.

Relegated to a wheelchair and with severely diminished eyesight, Brockway was the center of attention for the time she was at last week’s affair.

“I was busy cutting pie or something and Kristina Carlson had kind of gestured to me and I already had seen her tears …” said Katie Lanoue, one of the Busy Bees adult leaders. “She means a lot to our kids. My boys were very young when Kathy was their leader, and everybody still knows who she is. It was fun. There were a lot of lit-up faces when she came in; we were just thrilled to have her there.”