John J. Bryers Funeral Home, Inc.
406 North Easton RoadWillow Grove,
Pennsylvania 19090
(215) 659 – 1630
Jeffrey S. Thompson-Supervisor
Eulogy for my Mom, Maria Teresa Mele August 7, 2009 It is my unique privilege to speak to you today and to eulogize my mother, Maria Teresa. On behalf of my father Anthony, my brothers, Frank and Carl, my respective sisters in laws Claire and Aparna, my wife Colleen, all the grandchildren Madelena, Anthony, Alessandra, Sophia, Isabella, Nisha and most recently Luca. Thank you all for coming today to grieve Mom’s death and to celebrate her life. Thank you for all your prayers and support. As you all know, Mom needed that strength more and more over the years. She was always appreciative of your calls, visits and prayers. Mom is also survived by immediate relatives in Italy: her brother Ettore, her sister in law Augusta, and her own Mother, Nonna Angelina, who at a fragile 96 has now seen two of her children pass before her. Please pray for them during this difficult time; a time complicated by an additional 6000 miles of separation. We can all take comfort that mom died peacefully in her sleep. The previous night was routine. She watched her beloved Phillies play, although not well for that particular game, said the Rosary with Dad and went to bed. Although cliché, she truly died peacefully; Dad, Frank, Carl and I witnessed that peaceful gaze the following morning. In Dad’s very words, “Marie was beautiful in death as well as in life.” I am not embarrassed to say I had often prayed: “God, when mom’s time comes, please take her without incident, without illness or hospitals, without doctors (sorry Carl), nurses tubes, or noise. Please take her at home.” God is good. God is gracious and kind. She is now in a much better place, healed and rejuvenated with the power of Jesus and the warmth of Heaven. Thank you Lord for answering my prayers, albeit too soon. Prayer. A simple concept, but a most powerful tool. Prayer,….one of the few tasks that MS could never take from my Mom. She relished her prayers and her faith; they comforted her up to the very end. Perhaps Mom prayed for the same things as I did. To go in her sleep, at home, and with Tony by her side. Tony, my Dad was always by her side. To say that Dad was Mom’s caregiver is an understatement. Care and love that provided for her every need in the past 20 years. My father’s love for his wife, my mom, typifies the marital commitment, “in sickness and in health.” This October would have been their 50th anniversary. Pray for my dad as he makes this most difficult transition. Dad, mom is so grateful for all your devotion and love. God answered her prayers. You too must answer her prayers for your own health and well being. Make her proud. She is now well. She would want us all to do the same. A special thanks goes to Collis Brown, who in the past 5 years was mom’s aide. She provided daily strength, companionship and smiles. Many of you saw Marie dance at Carl’s wedding. Mom had secretly shared with Collis her desire to dance at each of her kids’ weddings. Collis immediately implemented a regimen of walking, strength exercises and later actual dancing to help mom realize her dream. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Collis, for everything you did for Mom; most of all the comfort and security of your daily visits. You know how much Mom appreciated your presence and help. Mom was an elegant woman. One need only to look at old photos, especially those taken after Sunday Mass to witness that elegance, style, grace and beauty. We would all jokingly tease her about those big sunglasses she wore, but mom popularized them long before Jacki-O. She would dress Frank and I in equally stylish clothes. Although there may have been several missteps during the 70’s with those pants and ties…. I can see mom now, shrugging her shoulders and hands, lifting just one eyebrow, as she was able to do, saying, “It was the style at the time.” Mom was a meticulous woman. She took great pride in maintaining a spotless home. Every Friday afternoon she would mop the tile kitchen floor in our Mr. Airy home. Woe to the boy who dared walking across that floor before it dried. My brothers and I still wince at the sound of that utensil drawer whipped open, the sound of mom’s hand rummaging for her wooden spoon. The same spoon she used to cook her gravy was her utensil of choice for deserved discipline. I once had what I thought a brilliant idea. If I only just removed the spoon, or put it in another drawer, we could escape our fate. Ah but mom had plan “b”, the spatula. During warm weather, none of us boys, including dad was allowed to the dinner table without a shirt on. It was one of her simple rules; a shirt was the minimum decorum. One particularly hot summer evening, after dad tried to refuse her request, she responded, “what if I took my shirt off?” We all snickered, and dad got up and put his shirt on. I wonder if mom would have followed through with her threat or just gotten the spoon… In our home, Mom was outnumbered, but never out classed. Mom took tremendous pride in her boys and the success of her family. Dad with his Army Corps engineering, Frank with his business acumen, Carl and I with professional success. One of the photos you saw today is a personal favorite I took as I walked down the isle from my dental school graduation. Her pride is most apparent. A wise dear friend once told me that the quality of a photo is directly proportional to the relationship of the photographer and the subject. I am truly blessed. When Carl graduated Medical school, I joked with Mom, finally a “real” doctor in the family. She responded with, “ yes Mark, but you where the first.” Mom took great pride in the daughters she never had, Claire, Colleen and Aparna. Sharing stories, recipes, time and love. Several years ago, mom told us all how happy it made her that we all vacation together, and how much it meant to her that we all got along. I am closer now to my brothers than ever before. I have mom to thank, who taught us the meaning of love, understanding and acceptance. Over the years, as our family grew, mom’s condition would lessen. Occasionally a significant drop, but overall, a slow and constant decline. When she could no longer swallow food, we were concerned about our weekly Sunday dinners at her house, and especially in her presence. Mom solved that dilemma by wheeling herself out of her room to join us in the dining room. She never complained about anything, any – thing! Let alone not being able to eat with us. She relished in seeing Alessandra twirl her pasta, or Sophia with her watermelon, or Bella refusing anything but a good piece of meat and one of Adam’s dinner rolls. Despite what the doctors were trying to do, Mom’s medicine was her grandchildren. Watching them play on the swings, swim, read, practicing piano, and always happy that everyone was together. Mom had simple but important rules. “Mark, clean your room, do your homework, love your brothers and love your family.” Rules that we all strive to live by today. Mom had an inner strength that defied her outward weakness. A strength grounded in faith, family, love and caring. A strength that despite her passing serves us all so well today. Thanks Mom for being so wonderful. I love you. In closing just one unscripted note. Eulogies are about the deceased, not the person giving it. But going against this grain, I have a personal story. Yesterday, while driving Bella, Sophia, and Sandi home from the airport along with Allie, and Colleen, we all saw something that I will never forget. Mom enjoyed the outdoors, especially bird watching. While driving on I-95 north, just past the Allegheny exit, I saw what I thought was a large dark hawk, flying high. The bird bank slightly and I saw a white tail, it banked further and I saw a white head! At forty-five years of age, I saw my first wild bald eagle flying free! On I-95 no less! This eagle seemed so powerful, unencumbered by gravity, majestic, regal and exquisitely beautiful. These are the attributes I ascribe to my mother today. Lovingly submitted, Mark J. Mele DMD Maria Teresa (Marie) Mele, 68, of Fort Washington , PA , died on August 5, 2009 after twenty year struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. She was the beloved wife of Anthony J. Mele, with whom she would have celebrated fifty years of marriage this October. She was the loving mother of Frank (Clarie), Dr. Mark (Colleen), and Dr. Carl (Dr. Aparna). She was the adoring grandmother of Madelena, Anthony, Alessandra, Sophia, Isabella, Nisha, and Luca, and is also survived by her mother Angelina and brother Ettore, of Celico , Italy . Marie was born in Celico, Cosenza , Italy and immigrated to the United States after her marriage to Tony. She was a proud homemaker, a talented knitter and number one fan of the Phillies and Eagles. She worked for Dental Delivery Systems in Glenside . She was a member of St. Alphonsus RC Church in Maple Glen and especially devoted to the Virgin Mary. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Saturday August 8, 2009 at St. Alphonsus RC Church, Bell Lane and Conwell Drive , Maple Glen, PA after 930am. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11am. Interment will be held in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage donations be made in Marie’s name to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1 Reed Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19147. Arrangements by John J. Bryers Funeral Home of Willow Grove , PA. www.bryersfh.com