While my mother was in the hospital , when we all knew she would be leaving us, my father asked her to call him when she got to Heaven.
At her funeral mass the phone in the church vestibule rang four times. My father and I were alone in the front pew, I turned to him and said, ” You asked mother to call you, that was her.”
We both started to cry. Mother kept her promise, as she always had.
The snow was falling as we left the church and descended the steps.
At the cemetery, due to the snow, we were ushered into the masoleum instead of standing at the graveside for the services. Inside the masoleum, was the most beautiful Nativity mangger I had ever seen. lite trees with angels atop them and the snow couls be seen drifting down through the windows above.
It was the most peaceful scene, like a Hallmark movie.
My father, brothers and their families and I gathered at a luncheon with close family and friends and told stories of mother, mostly funny, for she was a funny lady, quick to make a joke and laughter was always a part of her. Her illnesses didn’t rob her of her sense of humor. She had gotten thinne was complaining that laying on the bed was uncomfortable, “I want my fat fanny back,” she rasped, as her mouth was sore and it was hard to speak.
She gave me peace unto the end, by telling me in a soft whisper as I held her athritic hand in my hand, “There’s a time to live and a time to die,” getting the Bible quote mixed up, but I wasn’t about to correct her, not then, or ever. She was a strong willed, in control woman, a good and caring mother who sacraficed for her sons and was a loving doting grandmother.
She knew her time was nearing it’s end and told my father mnay times, “I love you”, over and over and he repeated it to her through teary eyes.
My father was always the sentimental one and would tell my mother he loved her, she would respond “I love you too,”, but know she was the one initiating the I love you’s to him.
Theirs was a 51 year totaly devoted to each other, marriage. they weathered the trials of life of losing their first born son Joey at one month old, the deaths of her parents and his mother. Job loses, dads heart attack and her anxieties.
Throught it all there was always love, when they had little money to pay the bills, her pneumonia in her ealry 30’s, years of high blood pressure and agoraphobia. Dad was always a patient and caring man, my brothers and I are lucky and thankful that he took such good care of our mother from the day they met.
Until the day she left this Earth.
He is an inspiration in how to treat a woman and a wife.
Our mother was always home for us as children, cooked, cleaned, laundry by the loads that she took to the laundramant for years. She taught as a teachers aide at our school and worked each Decemeber to make extra money so we had a nice Christmas. which we always did, we never lacked for any of the essentials in life and all of lifes extras. she was good with mney and saved whenever she could, so we could goon vacations to the seashore and to visit my dad’s family in small town Illinois. My childhood was ideal, happy ending type fairytale without the witches and orges, but filled with love and laughter, food family and friends. She loved games, crossword puzzles, cards, old films and instilled in me the love of the things that gave her pleasure. she taught me much in my life. My proudest moment was when I was able to teach her how to use the computer , her in her late sixities. She made many great friends online, and played games and laughed. It was her window to the outside world when her illnesses kept her indoors most of the time.
My mother will be dearly missed by all whose life she touched. I miss her and love her and will never forget her.
