By Jacqui Lang
From 1970 to 1993 Kate Samperi changed readers' lives with her commonsense advice...
If you didn't know how to handle your annoying boyfriend, snoring husband or sexy boss, Kate Samperi did.
Woman's Day's famous agony aunt dished out practical advice to thousands of Australians during her 23 years with the magazine. In that time she became a household name and regularly appeared on TV, offering tips on how to live harmoniously and cope with personal setbacks.
At age 45, Kate began writing her advice column for the magazine, until a major stroke halted her career in 1993.
"Mum really loved her job, and took it very seriously," says Kate's daughter Angela, a writer. "I think her pages were so popular because she had a lot of common sense, and she was compassionate."
A trained social worker, Kate landed her job after contacting
Woman's Day's then editor, Joan Reeder, to complain about the magazine's existing
Dorothy Dix column, offering advice to readers which Kate thought was substandard.
"She thought the advice wasn't written by professionals. She was right — it was written by various journalists on a rotating basis," says Angela.
"Mum told Joan Reeder that the column should be written by somebody qualified to give social advice. The editor was impressed by what Kate had to say, and asked her to submit her own column. She liked what she saw, and it all went from there."
Kate's column quickly became one of the most popular pages in
Woman's Day.
"She had great integrity in terms of being discreet about the letters she was sent. She never told her family the details," Angela recalls. "Some of the letters really affected her — for example, if a mother was dying leaving behind small children, or if she read about a case of abuse.
"Though you may not know it from reading her letters, Mum was actually a very emotional person. She felt a great deal; she wasn't as cool as readers may have thought!"
Born Catherine Augimeri, in Italy, Kate immigrated to Australia with her mother when she was four years old. Her father, a master shoemaker, had come earlier to establish a home and business in Sydney.
Sadly, she was separated from her father again as he was forced to serve time at an Australian internment camp during World War II. While interned, he befriended a young man at the camp, Leo Samperi, from Sicily. The two would often play chess to while away the hours.
"After the war, Leo was released and came to Granddad's house to visit him," says Angela. "My mother answered the door and there was this handsome young man — and it was love at first sight."
Soon the couple were married, and Kate later gave birth to Angela, then six sons.
"When Mum started writing for
Woman's Day, I was 20 and would shortly move out of home," Angela recalls. "But her new job had a big impact on our family; Mum's columns took a lot of time. She'd also write individual replies to many of the people who wrote to her seeking advice. But she still always found the time to be a caring mother — and she was a wonderful cook!"
Though Kate sounded very polished and assured in her column, according to Angela, her own life had its ups and downs, like everybody else.
"She'd had her share of pain over the years. She had quite of bit of illness during her life, which she tried to rise above. She had an incredible sense of humour, which always helped. But although she helped many people because of her knowledge and wisdom, of course she still had the usual problems that every family has to deal with.
"Mum and I enjoyed a fairly open relationship — Mum was good to talk to. She and Dad, who died in 1995, had a very loving marriage and that was a wonderful thing.
"When she'd had her first stroke in 1993, she wasn't expected to survive. She was in a coma, but eventually pulled through. However, she needed 24-hour care, and moved to a nursing home."
It was while Kate was in a coma that Angela told her mother, "I think we should write a book together."
When Kate came out of the coma, one of the first things she said to her only daughter was, "Now, about that book idea ..."
"Mum, my two daughters and I worked on the book,
Silken Cords: Beyond 'Dear Kate', spanning the three generations of women in our family. It came out in 1999," says Angela.
Kate died in 2006, when she was 80 years old.
"I still think about Mum often, and the caring way she conducted her life continues to influence me and my brothers," says Angela. "All seven of us are extremely close and care about each other enormously. This is the most important legacy of having such a mother.
"Mum loved her children and great grandchildren and her extended family. Being an acclaimed agony aunt gave her a lot of satisfaction. But her family was always her greatest passion."
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