Daniels of Dorrance, Pennsylvania

Mom

Walk to the Nescopeck

Francis E Walter Dam

Old Pictures

Video

 

Memories of Mom

Last night, we heard so many touching and wonderful stories of Mom…. One story in particular stood out that I’d like to share with you.

Mom had beautiful tulips in her flower beds.  These tulips were admired by the little boy next door - Ned Lenahan .  He wanted to give his Mom flowers, so he pulled up Mom’s tulips with the bulbs still attached.   He was soooo proud of the beautiful bouquet he had for his mother.  Well you can imagine the horror when Kathleen realized what Ned had done.  Last night, Ned told me he was terrified at the punishment he was going to receive from his Mom for such an act.  His mother marched him over to Mrs. Bobeck’s to confess his crime.  Mom looked at the flowers and smiled at Kathleen and said “He must love you very much”.  Needless to say Ned’s Mom said nothing more to him.  That was the last he heard of his crime.

And that is how we all remember Mom!  Kind, sympathetic and understanding with a wonderful smile on her face.    She Loved not only her family… but also the people of Sugar Notch.

In order to understand our mother, I’d like to give you a slice of our home life through our eyes…..

First, being a devoted wife and a mother of 7 childrenn was not an easy task. Every morning she would start her day by getting us all up…. Make sure we were well feed afterall she was a registered dietician,  so eating properly was always important in our home.   And she’d get us off to school.

At lunch time we would come home from school and there would be soup and sandwiches waiting for us…. With 7 children to feed, She had to serve something everyone liked….. Usually chicken noodle with peanut butter crackers: or cheese sandwich and tomato soup.   Ann remember your favorite – Welsh Rarebit???? 

In the afternoon, Mom was busy.  She was dedicated to activities within the community such as  shuttling the sisters of Saint Charles to what ever destination they choose or working with the Marywood Alumni Committee or the hospital Auxillary.  The highlight for her was attending the boys’ baseball games.  In addition to cheering the teams she worked at the concession stands.

Jack reminded me of a cute story of dedication to all of her children. There was one baseball game, Jack and Joe were on opposite teams… Jack stepped up to the plate, swung the bat and hit a high popfly into the out field… Mom was cheering like crazy….. as the ball came down…. Joe stepped under it and caught it for an out. Mom stopped cheering for Jack… looked at Joe… and started to  cheer wildly for Joe…. No partiality on her part.

Getting back to her day, after she finished all her errands….. you guessed it…. Dinnertime…. And mom was back in the kitchen while we played in the neighborhood or watched the Monsters and Adams Family.  Up until the mid 60’s Dad’s office was in our home which meant we always ate at 5pm.   When Dad came home Mom always greeted him as if they were newly weds with her famous smile and a big kiss. We’d  sit down to a linen covered table with napkins every night.  She always made sure our meals were well balanced, full of color and always started with a salad… no bread or salt could be found on our table….. remember, she was a dietician…..   It was important that every one be at the dinner table.  It was a time for the family to be together.  There was no missing dinner.

But our Mom was not only a great cook, she was a friend to the neighborhood.  She had a personality that was welcoming to everyone.  Mom made our house always a  home to the neighborhood and open to friends.   Our school friends and fellow neighbors were always visiting us…. And mom made them feel as if it were their home. 

We learned from Mom to welcome neighbors and friends to our home.   God help all of us if she ever knew how open our house was… especially when she and Dad were away.

Mom ran a tight ship.  She could be tough waiting on weekend nights for the last one of us to come home.   She could hear you sneaking up the steps.  You never made it past the first landing without her hearing you.  If you were beyond curfew she was sure to interrogate you.   As for the girls if we were on a date and you were late the porch light was off when you came home.  Your date would escort you to the dark door and magically as your date was saying good night the light came on and Mom was saying good evening.   

In the later years… when we were grown and the grandchildren would visit… the house became more active than ever. Most holidays were held at 841 Main Street and the neighbors would all stop in to help with the celibrations…. And Mom with her pleasent smile was always there to entertain…. And…. To show the other love of her life…. Her china cabinets with her favorite collections of crystal and Lladros.  The Lladros were of all different shapes and sizes.  To her each represented different members of our family and some even represented dogs she has over the years.

Whenever we would visit and it was time to leave with our children… we all remember Mom standing in front of the big window with the Waterford lamp glowing…. Waving her hand… and saying…. LOVE AND KISSES…. NIGHTY NIGHT!...kiss…. kiss.

A few more fond memories:

- Mom never lost sight of her children- as teens and adults.    It was absolutely amazing when we would visit her at Wesley Village.  She could be at the end of a crowed hall way and she always spotted you, yelling your name with that wonder smile.

-She had a bright eye wonder for birds and life (which I’ve apparently acquired from Mom).  When we were children she would enthusiastically point out a new bird in the backyard.  When I’d visit at Wesley Village just like years ago, she would excitedly tell me about the new baby birds she saw at her feeder. 

-She loved her pink Dogwood.  In the spring the pink colored filled the living room.  It was an exquisite tree.

- We could all never forget that yearly phone call to each one of us on St Patrick’s day reminding us to wear our green.

-She kept us faithful to God with grace at every meal and we never missed a Sunday mass.

-What fond memories we have of her pulling family and friends together to celebrate life at the Lake: Butlers, Uglows, Zielinski’s, Yuscavages, Lenahan’s, Churnetski’s, McDades….too many to name

-I think what amazed me the most was how she greeted Dad for 62 ½ years. She would hear the garage doors go up and before he was in the house she was waiting for him at the door with a bog hug and a kiss.    It was like they were young lovers meeting for the first time

While today is a sad day for us…. It’s more importantly a day to celebrate mom’s life… A very special mom…. Who loved and respected her husband… children….  the church and the community. She was a special person who taught us respect and commitment to our families and the community… and a gentle person with a glow in her heart and a pleasant smile on her face.  Dad describes her smile as a “soft” smile, sure to brighten anyone’s day and a special blessing when she looked you way.  Her smile was a gift from Mother, our Nana and something she shared in common with her sisters: Mary, Bessie, and Eileen.

I would like to close with some reassuring words from Jesus from John Chapter 14: verses 1-6

“Do not let your heard be troubled.  Trust in God, trust in me.  In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going. I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Mom we know you are happy tucked in your own room in God’s house. 

LOVE AND KISSIS….. NIGHTEY NIGHT!!!!. 

 

 
 

Karyn's Thoughts

Karyn Bobeck

English Comp. 111-30

Essay # 1

 

My Grandmother

 

My Grandmother, Agnes Loftus Bobeck, was born August 29, 1919 in Archbald, Pa.  The streets there were yellow cobblestone and the population was primarily made up of Irish and Italian people.  Her life has been filled with many accomplishments. She was the valedictorian of her high school class and then went on to graduate from Marywood College.  She was a Captain in the Army and worked as a dietician at a Military Hospital in New York City.  While working at the military hospital she met my grandfather who was also a Captain in the Army working as a doctor.  After working for some years she then went on to raise seven children. Even though my grandmother is now in a nursing home she still remains a “Lady” and matriarch of our family.   

The very first memories I have of my grandmother were when she lived in a spacious four story white house with black shutters. Every time I walked into her house she would be sure to greet me at the door and take my face in her wrinkled hands and kiss it making sure to leave a mark of either red or pink lipstick. She is a petite woman and her ivory skin is lined, soft, and droopy. Her auburn colored hair was always short and neatly curled and she smelled of Jergens hand cream. I can still remember the house always being warm and smelling of sweet baked goods and coffee. As a child I would spend Sunday afternoons at my grandmother’s house.  Her Sunday dinners were always well balanced in nutrition, visual appearance, and quality. She never forgot to serve a full glass of milk with every meal. She is a very family oriented person and it made her happy just to have the family together for Sunday dinner. The entire time the family is around she continuously shows a toothy grin and her deep dimples are prominent.

 My grandmother had many hobbies and she enjoyed sharing them with me.  For as long as I can remember she had a strong interest in fine china, Waterford Crystal, and Lladro porcelain figurines. Her vast living room contained well lit curio cabinets filled with her collectables. I used to love going into the living room with her and looking at the extensive crystal and Lladro collection. The glass was spotless and the pieces were shining brightly of every color in the rainbow.  She was so gentle in handling them and in her shaky but soft voice she was sure to tell me a story about how each piece was acquired.  The Lladros were of all different shapes and sizes.  To her each represented different members of our family and some even represented dogs she has had over the years.  My grandmother is a big fan of Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. She was always excited to share books about Jacqueline Kennedy with me.  She would point out with her neatly manicured fingernails the clothing and jewelry she admired most on Jacqueline Kennedy. Another one of my grandmother’s favorite past times was shopping.  She was very fond of boutiques in New York City and around the Washington, D.C. area.  She would walk leisurely through the shops and was very friendly to all the sales people. 

Over the past several years my grandmother has become very weak and her bones very brittle.  Now at the age of eighty-seven she is confined to a wheelchair and lives in a nursing home. I make sure to visit her often and she is still the same person inside that she always has been.  She is slumped down in her blue wheelchair pulling herself along the halls with her feet. Her hair is a shiny silver color and sometimes disheveled looking. Her nails are usually painted but the paint is slightly chipped. Her make up is still done everyday enenthough it might not look the way it used to. As I walk down the hall I can see her bright smile from a mile away and she is overly excited when visitors arrive.  The nurses at the nursing home comment on how friendly and pleasant my grandmother is.  She still continues to keep up on everything that happens in the family as well as current events. Occasionally, when I walk into the nursing home she is diligently working on a crossword puzzle that she came across while reading the newspaper.  There is never a time that she doesn’t ask about someone in the family while I am visiting. 

The fact that my grandmother is now in a nursing home does not stop her from being the glue that holds my family together.  She has always had an overwhelming affect on my entire family.  She enjoys having the family together and everyone makes a point getting together because of her.

 

I Feel So...