Life Legacy
Mary E. (Schreiber) Schlegel
Mary E. (Schreiber) Schlegel, 84, of 418 South Seventh Street, Lebanon, died peacefully at her home on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 with her family at her side.
She was the wife of the late John H. "Jack" Schlegel. Born July 23, 1925 in Lebanon, she was the daughter of the late Edwin & Elizabeth (Coyle) Schreiber.
She worked as a Bell Telephone operator during the 40's, raised seven children during the 50's, 60's and 70's and retired from the VA Medical Center in 1988.
Surviving are her children, John E. (Jack), husband of Ceal Schlegel, Jeanne, wife of John Brandt, Joseph K., husband of Cindy Schlegel, Ann L., wife of James Gruber, Peter H., husband of Teresa Schlegel, Matthew J., husband of Lisa Schlegel and Meghan E. Schlegel, all of Lebanon; ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two grandsons.
A EULOGY FOR MOTHER MARY
On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for coming today to pray and celebrate the life of Mother Mary. Father Reid and Deacon Wentzel have been so gracious and kind these past few days (as they always are). I want you to know how much we appreciate your expressions of sympathy and kind words. The outpouring of support has been tremendous and overwhelming. I would be remiss if I did not give a special thanks to Gloria Horn for her music and voice. She has given us a taste of Heaven over the years.
Now, I’m sure many of you may be wondering why so many addressed our mother as “Mother.” Frankly, I’m not sure. But it may have something to do with her caring and loving demeanor. She taught us about loving and giving. She taught us about respect and duty. She taught us to never look down on anyone and not to take ourselves too seriously. As one of my brothers said, “I have nothing but wonderful, loving memories of mom. She had friends from all walks of life and she treated them all the same. She was always very giving and forgiving. If you gave her a pair of pants or a dress to hem, she did it “pronto.” If a family member was struggling or in trouble, you could tell by her tender voice, she was genuinely concerned and forgiving.”
As William Wordsworth said: “The best portion of anyone’s life is the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”
Another brother said to me, “I remember mom holding a baby (Meghan) on her hip with one arm and cooking dinner with the other hand, while threatening the rest of us with a fly swatter.” We all remember her making silly costumes so we could march in the South Sixth Street Playground parades. Growing up in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s under her tutelage was a great joy and we cherish the memories.
One day, I heard one of my sisters address mother as Mary. A little shocked, I asked: “she’s your mother, why would you call her Mary?” She replied: “because everybody else calls her mother.” (Made sense to me.)
About a month ago, mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and it was already in advanced stages. When the diagnosis was presented, she took everything very calmly. She knew it was her time. You reach a point in life when death becomes a friend. But I feel very comfortable knowing that my brothers and sisters and their spouses did everything possible to keep mother happy after dad had passed. Jeanne was always taking her shopping and to lunch. Joseph visited every chance with the grandchildren. Ann was always by her side as her medical advocate and took her to church and to the track. I salute Ann for her personal commitment to both mom and dad. Peter took care of her plumbing, electrical and took her out every Tuesday evening. Matthew cut her grass, did her landscaping, snow removal and took care of her car. (No wonder he was the favorite son.) Meghan was her surprise at the age of 44 but Meg did her hair, nails and anything else she wanted. I had the easy job of paying her bills and taking her to dinner on Saturday evenings. It was a great team effort. Her only complaint was that she needed a day off to rest now and then. The contributions of all the daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, nieces and nephews are too numerous to mention.
It was all a product of our Catholic faith and the values we were taught. It is a tribute to Mother Mary and it is her legacy. Our love for her transcends death and her love of the Lord will light the way for all eternity.
God Bless you all!
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at St. Mary's Church, 2 North Eighth Street. Viewing will be at the church from 9-10. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Lebanon Catholic School, 1400 Chestnut Street, Lebanon, PA 17042 or St. Mary's Church. Thompson Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. Share your thoughts and memories with the family at our on line guest book at www.thompsonfuneralhomelebanon.com
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Born: July 23, 1925
Place of Birth: Lebanon, PA
Death: July 13, 2010
Place of Death: Lebanon, PA
Occupation: Retired Telephone Operator
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Memorial donations may be made to:
Lebanon Catholic School, 1400 Chestnut Street, Lebanon, PA 17042 or to St. Mary's Church, 2 North 8th Street, Lebanon, PA 17046
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This memorial provided by:
Thompson Funeral Home, Inc.
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