Good Bye, Irene

This past weekend was pretty rough for us. Kaila's Godmother, and Jasin's 'almost' Grandmother, the woman he grew up next door to, passed away. Irene and her late husband, Felix, were an elderly Polish couple, and a constant fixture in Jasin's life. She was known for her goodness, compassion, giving and, of course, her baking! Felix was known for sitting in the garage, and having his afternoon Genny, while yelling at the people who drove by too fast, but, deep down, the Old WWII vet was as wonderful as they come.

Felix passed away several years ago, but, Irene was still a constant in our lives. When Kaila was born, we could think of no one but this wonderful, devout woman to be her Godmother. I don't think I have ever known anyone as quiety good as Irene. Every birthday and holiday, Kaila would recieve a card, signed 'God Bless, your Godmother, Irene' and Kaila's picture was prominently featured on her refrigerator.

Sadly, when we moved to Franklinville, we didn't see Irene as often, but, we did try to keep in touch. This past December, she was moved to a nursing home. This, I suppose is not the appropriate place to mention her two children, a son and daughter. The daughter lived in a beautiful home right behind Irene's modest trailer. Her daughter and daughter's husband took shameless advantage of Irene over the years, but, Irene never seemed to mind, so we always just let it go. It did occur to me to wonder just who will do the lawnwork, laundry and cooking of the seperate menues for the daughter and her husband every day. And, those poor, affluent people must now have to make their own car payments, but, we'll let it go. (Obviously doing a great job at that, huh?)

This was the most emotional I have ever been at a wake, or a funeral. I felt like we lost a treasure no one ever really appreciated. The funeral was held in a beautiful church in Buffalo. It was the sort of old, wonderful place where one expected Bing Crosby, or Julia Andrews to come dancing and singing through at any moment. There was a pipe organ, and two men with amazing Tenor voices - opera quality! IMAGINE my horror, then, when in front of this pipe organ, a recording of KERMIT THE FROG, SINGING THE RAINBOW SONG, was played. "WHAT are they DOING?!" I whispered to Jasin, tears forgotten for the moment; "Oh. Irene loved the Muppets. Didn't you know?" "NO!" "Didn't you see all the Muppet stuff around her place?" "NO! There were ANGELS everywhere! I never saw a stupid MUPPET!!" "Honey! SSHHHH!" Okay. I was probably out of line. There were 4 priests and a monk there for the funeral. The pipe organ began, and the Tenors started to sing, and I was in tears again. Let me take a moment, to make a small side note. Irene's son was a priest at one point, but gave it all up for a girlfriend. It was all his old Priest buddies on the alter. The entire thing seemed to be a good time joke. "Her cheesecake was to die for! No pun intended, hahahahah!" quiped one of the priests. Right before another Muppet song was played. "If you play a cartoon song at my funeral, Jasin, I will haunt you and make your life so miserable you will WISH you died first!" I snapped at Jasin. He just rolled his eyes. I admit. I probably sound like an obnoxious, awful person right now. Who carries on in such a way at a funeral? We were brought up pretty strict Catholics, for this day and age, a thing I never regretted, and sometimes wish I could be as good as I was brought up to be, but Irene WAS the epitome of 'Good'. As someone who actually knows better, I just felt she deserved a more dignified, more wonderful tribute and send off, than Muppets and tasteless remarks. So, I hope, that, in some way, I have gotten, in a small way, across, the wonderful person that Irene was, and the absolute assurance that she was one of the only people I will ever know that went to heaven, and the lament that one of the few truly good people left in the world is gone, and most people will never know it. We will miss you!