Saturday, November 1, 2008
To My Dearest Aunt Marie, How much I have always loved you and how grateful I am to you and to Uncle Sam, my Godfather, for loving and caring for my sister, Joan and I during our stay with you when we were so young.You loved us and cared for us as if we were your very own. You were always loving and kind, strong and true.My parents were always so grateful to you for your support that you graciously extended to us during a challening time for our family. My sister and I have such fond memories of you from "eating our peas" , and remembering that if you said "no" to veggies... you got more....and all the family dinners and the feeling of such comfort and welcoming. I remember your hair style and the "gold highlight" that both you and Mom sprayed in your hair, when you and Mom dressed Joannie and Joyce in the same dresses, going to the farm and making mud pies on the front steps. I remember the day that Jackie came and we were taking pictures of all of us in the back field near the river. Oh how I loved the summer at the farm! I remember going into town and getting the best pastrami on rye that N.Y. state had to offer. The dinners you cooked were always so wonderful and especially when Joe and Uncle Sam caught trout.....I don't remember you saying "eat more of your trout"....I think we just watched them!I remember the summer breeze blowing through the house and the long sheer curtains, I know how much you loved that time too. Denise was in high school then, and "Red Rubber Ball" was one of the hits.....I remember her going to Riverdell high, her bedroom with the purple and moss green fabric and you and her made me feel so welcome. I even remember one christmas when you and Denise gave me one of her Pollyana dolls, she was about 3 feet tall with blonde hair and boy did I love her! There were summer night rides when we would go visit Phyllis, Andrea and Roseann in Montclair and get ice cream. I remember one christmas when I was about 6, you and Uncle Sam gave to be my first easel!!!!! And I painted a picture of Santa that christmas eve at your house. And years later my artwork would be one of my greatest passsions.....as if you knew. And most of all, you are a hero to me. You showed us all how to love family and how to be together, and that gathering at our dinner table is one of the most important ways to keep our family together.I know how much my father loved you and how my mother thinks of you as a sister.You were given a wonderful gift, the love of a beauitful husband and three beautiful children that love you deeply. You are so well loved and adored by all of us. And how very much I will miss you. And I thank you for being a part of the woman that I am today, and for the love you gave to my sister and I. I gave my daughter Danielle the middle name of Marie after you. I will always remember that phone conversation in which we found it hard to say good bye and you said,"Donna I love you so much, so much"....and that became our special saying. And Aunt Marie I love you so much, so much and I will always have you close to me. With my gratitude and blessings, Love your niece , Donna Maria
