Eulogy, for Mom

A year ago today, my mother died.  Even though she had been in declining health, it was quite sudden. I had just spoke to her over the phone that morning and everything seemed fine.  At the Funeral Mass I gave the following eulogy for her:

EULOGY

Mom was ‘Jubilant’. Each Saturday Mom would quiz me on the word for the week. This last Saturday she asked me what was another word for “rejoice”. For Mom, I couldn’t give just any synonym—it had to be the one she had in mind. I was not sure which word she meant of the hundreds that would fit the bill.  So, I told her I didn’t know.  The word was Jubilant.  She followed the answer by “See, I taught you something!”

Mom loved to teach. Even from an early age Mom loved to play school and always, she was the teacher. She was the first of her family to go to college. At first she didn’t like it there.  She was away from all of her family—and she came from a BIG family. On a ride back home with her brother George she told him that she wanted to quit. He reminded her that she was lucky to get to go to college and that she could not quit. And I am very happy that she did not.  Teaching led Mom to Dad.

For Mom’s first teaching job out of college was here in town. And in that first class of senior students she taught (wait for it...) my father. Now growing up I did not know how my parents had met. But one day while checking a book out of the college library, the librarian asked, “are you Chuck and Suzie’s boy?” I said yes. The librarian turned to her coworker and told a romance story worthy of Danielle Steel.  In that tale my father had declared his undying love for her right at the night of graduation. Well, I ran home and came in the kitchen door to find them sitting there and said “We have to talk.”  I found out the graduation night story was not true.  They didn’t start to date until after my dad went to college and returned from the army.  But I did find out that one of the other teachers did ask Mom that year “Why is that Gennaula boy always hanging around?”

My mom loved being a mother. I always knew Mom loved Janice and that Mom loved me. She even gave up teaching for a while to have us. But eventually she did go back to teaching. And when it was our time, both Janice and I found out what my father already knew: Mom was a tough teacher! You had to earn your grade—no ifs, ands, or buts. In fact, years earlier she had given my dad a D. After they were married she found that old grade book and realized that she should have given him a ‘C’.  To which Dad replied “How about an A?” Mom and Dad taught by example—on how to learn and also how to have a marriage that lasts.

Mom loved being a grandmother. All those lessons that Mom taught us, we have brought to our own families. Mom became Grammy. She was so happy to be with her grandchildren and to hear about their activities. I would see her light up when she was with them.

Finally, Mom loved God. She passed on to the Lord right here in this church. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus speaks of the faith of children. Mom was lucky to retain a childlike faith and trust through out her whole life. So Mom when I think of you in Heaven I remember your final word to me:  Jubilant.