RIP Jim and Mary Jane Twomey

[patrick]

Three weeks ago, April 6, I went out to Arizona to visit my parents. Dad’s 90, Mom 87, neither doing well, both in nursing facilities. While I was there, Dad had a stroke which took away his ability to swallow, as well as more of his ability to speak and move. Still lucid until the end, he was quite emphatic that he wanted to go home and be allowed to die. Finally, we came to terms with this and granted his wish. He passed away Thursday. A kind, warm intelligent man left us.

He was born in Bloomington Illinois in the midst of the depression and grew up in a blue collar household (my grandfather worked as a mechanic on the railroad), served in the 3rd Army under Patton, went to Notre Dame on the GI Bill where he met my mother and they got married. He spent his career in the aerospace industry while raising 5 obnoxious kids and instilling in them, against their will, an appreciation of education and some morals.

My mother, the daughter of a lawyer and small businessman, grew up just blocks from Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana and went to nursing school at St. Mary’s across the street from Notre Dame. She combined motherhood with a nursing career in Indiana, Texas and finally California. I can’t imagine how she did it without losing her mind. She passed away this afternoon. They were married 64 years and died 8 days apart.

We grew up in a family with the usual sturm und drang, but the one thing I remember most about my family was how much laughter there was (and still is). My friends would often comment on how much fun we seemed to have with each other.

I will deeply miss them both.

[billhammond]

Apr 24, 2015 21:41:50 GMT -5 patrick said:

Three weeks ago, April 6, I went out to Arizona to visit my parents. Dad’s 90, Mom 87, neither doing well, both in nursing facilities. While I was there, Dad had a stroke which took away his ability to swallow, as well as more of his ability to speak and move. Still lucid until the end, he was quite emphatic that he wanted to go home and be allowed to die. Finally, we came to terms with this and granted his wish. He passed away Thursday. A kind, warm intelligent man left us.

He was born in Bloomington Illinois in the midst of the depression and grew up in a blue collar household (my grandfather worked as a mechanic on the railroad), served in the 3rd Army under Patton, went to Notre Dame on the GI Bill where he met my mother and they got married. He spent his career in the aerospace industry while raising 5 obnoxious kids and instilling in them, against their will, an appreciation of education and some morals.

My mother, the daughter of a lawyer and small businessman, grew up just blocks from Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana and went to nursing school at St. Mary’s across the street from Notre Dame. She combined motherhood with a nursing career in Indiana, Texas and finally California. I can’t imagine how she did it without losing her mind. She passed away this afternoon. They were married 64 years and died 8 days apart.

We grew up in a family with the usual sturm und drang, but the one thing I remember most about my family was how much laughter there was (and still is). My friends would often comment on how much fun we seemed to have with each other.

I will deeply miss them both.

A very touching tribute, Patrick -- they sound like fantastic folks, and my sincere condolences.

[Marshall]

Sorry for your loss. And grateful you saw fit to shared this with the likes of us.


I'll go tip an honored glass to the gift of life that was Jim and Mary Jane Twomey.

Thanks.

[coachdoc]

Thank you for sharing. Each of us should be so blessed to have a family like yours.

[Deleted]

That's hard. Love and sympathy.

[RickW]

That's hard, and very fine. My condolences, and congratulations to them on life well lived.

[Chesapeake]

Very moving tribute. Deepest condolences.

[Doug]

I'm always at a lose as to what to say in these situations.  I echo what others have said.  I'm glad you went along with his wishes as hard as it must have been.    

[Dub]

Oh, Patrick. I'm so very sorry. Our thoughts are with you and your family.

[Deleted]

So sorry to hear about that, but what lives they lived. I'm glad your father was able to go home. I can imagine that meant a lot to him.

I've lost everyone in my immediate family -- mom in '81, dad in '07 and my brother last year -- and I'll always miss them, just as you'll always miss your parents. But it sounds like your folks made the most of their time here and they'll be part of you.

[jdd2]

To have five kids and to have lived for so long together is a blessing. (and to have a son like you)

My sympathies, but it seems like you've both lost and won the lottery at the same time. You've lost them, but by having had them for so long, you also won.

[theevan]

How lovely.

I'm sorry for your loss, Patrick.

[millring]

What a beautiful eulogy. What a fine family history. Please accept my sincere condolences for your immense loss.

[brucemacneill]

My sincerest sympathies, Patrick.

[Tamarack]

My deepest condolences. The parents who raised the baby boomers were amazing people.

[Rob Hanesworth]

Patrick, my thoughts are with you and your family. Your parents sound like they were great people to have been raised by.

[Lonnie]

A touching tribute, Patrick. I lost my parents in '07 and '08. One of life's hardest milestones. My deepest condolences to you and yours.

[mnhermit]

Deepest sympathies to you and your family.

[TKennedy]

I'm sorry Patrick. They sound like real banner carriers for the greatest generation and wonderful people. My parents did something similar. My dad took care of my mom when both were in the NH. She was very confused and when he died it seemed she didn't know it happened. She died a month later.

There is a beautiful force between two people that truly love each other that we don't understand.

[kenlarsson]

My deepest sympathies for your loss.