Paddy's mom. RIP

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Richard + Jela
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Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby Richard + Jela » Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:05 am

Just thought it appropriate to send condolences, via this forum, to regular contributor Paddyinthepub (Pat) on the passing of his mother yesterday.

Pat - you and your siblings were with her at the end; she has gone to the 'other side' but your shared memories of her will always remain with you.

Thinking of you.

Jela

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KarenZ
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby KarenZ » Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:12 am

Pat,

So sorry for your loss. Hoping your memories will provide comfort.

KarenZ
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

Patti
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby Patti » Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:06 am

Sorry for your loss Pat. May memories of your mom comfort you and your loved ones at this difficult time.

Patti
"Embrace what you have in common, celebrate what sets you apart" Ellis Paul

monicar
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby monicar » Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:28 am

My condolences to the Donahue family. And, for you Paddy, a little Richard Shindell!

"The change could happen anyday
So says the whippoorwill
She hangs around for the seeds I leave
Out on the windowsill
Be-free-you-fool, be-free-you-fool
She sings all afternoon
Then, as if to show me how its done,
She leaps into the blue"

xxoo,
MonicaR.

paddyinthepub
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby paddyinthepub » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:21 am

Born at home in Brooklyn on Feb. 22, 1932, Marjorie Ann Callahan, would grow up to meet Thomas Edward Donohue, Jr. at a dance in the Catskills. They had fifty one years together as man and wife before his passing March 4, 2003. Some coincidence that I had the same number of years with her.

When she was 8 she was hit by a car while crossing the street she lived on walking to the Catholic school just up at the next corner. She dusted herself off and continued on a journey like no other. I like to say the car never knew what hit it, had to be towed away, and totalled.

Luck of the Irish was a common phrase used by dad.

Mom and dad would go on to have five children. Their first, Michael, was lucky to make it as Mom walked up the steps of the hospital in labor and hemmoraging. The doctor later told her he'd saved her life. Michael was born with a significant loss of hearing, discovered in early infanthood.

Douglas came along next, born deaf mute. He would teach us a great many things about how to overcome adversity and handicap to make his own special mark on the people in his world. He took to the waves rolling in on Texas beaches like a fish to water. A beach bum if ever there was one.

Erin would be their only girl. I used to love to tease her as a kid with the words Erin Go Braugh (Bra) because it made her mad. Spoiled as the only girl we resented her for what seemed the royal treatment.

Patrick Joseph Donohue was almost given another middle name. Post delivery and sound asleep, a nurse came into mom's room to ask the proud parents for my name. From an early time, Dad always knew he wanted a Pat and Mike. From the hollywood movie of the same name. Ever the Irishman, In his mind he had a plan. He told the nurse Patrick Aloyisius Donohue. You see where this is going, PADdy. It was at that very instant my mom woke up, looked over at Dad and the nurse, said He's Patrick Joseph! But the nickname took hold anyway and was actually a name that made me cry as I was too young to understand Paddy was a boy's name not a girl's.

Tim would be number five, cutest darn baby you'd ever see, rounded out the family of 7. Much later, I would hear dad talking to a perfect stranger and in introducing himself, his line of work, he would always, and I mean always say, 5 children and not a lemon in the bunch.

When life gives you lemons you make lemonade.

My dad was a saint. Everyone who knew him knew it. The lemons life threw him with a wife who suffered severe mental illness amazed all who bore witness to his patience, grace, love, and dedication. For his wife. For his children. Because of dad, the lemonade flowed freely.

Mom was a character in a long line of characters. She was a one of a kind in the truest sense of the word. People are unique and then there was Margie. To know her was to love her and we did. Bless her heart she had to bury a child, Mike, at 40. She was devasted, and then some. Then she had to bury dad at 73, and again, rinse and repeat. A betting man would have looked at Tom and Marge and laid good money she would go first. We didn't nickname her smokestack for nothing. Her multiple pack a day nervous smoking habit went on half a century. It caught up with her On the first day of March.

It was as if mom was saying eight (years) is enough without the love of her life, My dad. We take great comfort knowing he will welcome her back with open arms. Not before he plays just one more round of golf , but he will.

Thank you all for your kind words and expression of love and sympathy. It comes at a time filled with mixed emotions about a lifetime of choices that include time and distance apart from the ones we love and call our own. What I wouldn't give to have the years since dad died back. I'd spend them with more focus on mom than I was able to. You just lose sight of the toll time takes on parents. Yoy look at them and they always just look like mom and dad. They were always our very own invincible heros.

Thank You again.

P A D d y
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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KarenZ
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby KarenZ » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:40 am

PADdy,

Thank for for taking the time to share your family story. Simply beautiful.

KarenZ
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

paddyinthepub
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby paddyinthepub » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:58 am

We called a priest to mom's hospital bedside to administer last rites on the morning of the day she died. I had stepped outside for a few minutes and returned to find the priest had arrived and was there talking to Tim and Erin offering counsel and compassion explaining many aspects of life and death.

Growing up, Mom always wanted me to be a priest.

Returning to mom's room And Joining the conversation I glanced at the priest talking to notice the darnedest thing. There it was, what seemed to me to be a fitting tribute to who she was. For as I took a closer look at the man would extend last rites for Margie, I saw a hard of hearing, hearing aid wearing, Monsignor Pat. I smiled deep inside my Texas heart.

Go figure!
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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bonuela
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Re: Paddy's mom. RIP

Postby bonuela » Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:50 am

sorry paddy,

i have been away from the boards and not heard of your loss. i am fortunate to still have both of my parents, but not nearly as fortunate to have the strong memories that you do.

now knowing that you have a deaf and a hearing impaired sibling would explain your rabid dedication to music. you are loving it enough for 3 donohues.

take care,

bonnie
I let my music take me where my heart wants to go. ~ Cat Stevens


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