Tribute to our Mom

Anne Gertrude O'Leary was born in Georgetown, NF on November 12, 1916 to Sylvester and Elizabeth (Fowler) O'Leary. She was the 3rd. child of a family of six. She often told us that when she was 10 years old she worked scrubbing floors for people in the area. Not a well-known fact in Mom's life was that she taught school in Marysvale for six months before she was married. In 1933 she married our Father - Patrick Ryan Shea of Marysvale and they had 11 children. In 1935 when our father went to work in Buchans, Mom stayed in Marysvale with our Grandparents (James and Alice Shea). After the death of our little brother Patrick in March 1942, Mom was not content living in Marysvale. So our family moved to Brigus in 1943 and Dad continued to work in Buchans, coming home each summer to spend his annual holidays with his family. This was a very, very stressful time for Mom because by then she had five children. We lived close to the pond and her greatest fear was that one of us would drown. As most women of her time, she worked very hard caring for her growing family and had to carry water many times during the day from the well up-the-road; make sure there was enough wood to keep the fire going; make bread and prepare our meals; make and mend clothes; help us with homework; and all other chores associated with raising a large family. By 1955, our family had grown to 10. With Dad still working in Buchans most of the year, this was a great burden to be placed on a woman. She was both Mother and Father to us and it was no wonder that she kept a "firm hand" when we were growing up.

As the 4 older girls moved away to the convent and "the states", and since Buchans was now more accessible by road and railroad, Dad moved their 6 younger children there in September 1959. Buchans was a very family-oriented town and had everything that would keep children and adults occupied - a stadium, curling rink, bowling alley, library, swimming pool, softball and baseball fields, skiing hills, several stores, and churches of every denomination. Our parents agreed that another main reason for moving the family to Buchans was because of the good Catholic School there - St. Theresa's Academy. We all received a good Catholic education under the guidance of the Presentation Sisters.

Dad continued to work in the Machine Shop until his retirement in 1978 and of course Mom was happy there because at night she could get out to Bingo or a card game and as the last of the family graduated High School and moved on, they had a few years to enjoy doing things they liked and traveled around to our family members in Newfoundland. They moved to the "Townsite" in 1978 where they purchased a mobile home. Of course a lot of the family would come home for summer holidays and Christmas and Easter. When Dad retired they then moved to Witless Bay. People ask us "why did your Mother & Father move to Witless Bay?" They said that they wanted to be closer to most of the family - at that time, Sr. Pius was at Littledale, Mary was living in Witless Bay, Tom was stationed in Ferryland, Vester was living in Bay Bulls, Sharon was in St. Lawrence, and Alice was in St. John's. And even though Jim was in Millertown and moved later to Stephenville, they spent a few weeks each year visiting his family.

Even though our Mom was not a very "outgoing" person because of her deafness, it never stopped her from doing the things she loved. She dearly loved planting and tending to her flowers in the summertime and then in the winter she would knit caps, mitts and gloves for all her grandchildren and for the Parish Fall Fair. Of course she still loved her Bingo games and a game of cards and "potluck" supper whenever there was one around. She especially loved it when her family would gather around her table to have a game of "120's" with her. She loved it when she had a 5 and Jack - she would always go 30 for 60 !!!!! We never heard her utter a curse or bad word whenever she went in the hole ... and that was many times !!!!! She would just give that little smile and say "I'll get it the next time" ... Another game she enjoyed playing was Yahtzee and Mary would always "growl" at her because she was taking too many turns. She and Sr. Pius played well together because neither took much notice of how many spins they took !!!

Our Mother was a very special woman who always enjoyed having her family around her. She especially loved when there was a crowd here and any special occasion where we would have "potluck" dinners. She treated all of us equally and every Christmas she would give each of her children, grandchild and great-grandchild a gift. She loved to go shopping and if anyone was going "to town" she would tag along just "to get out of the house for a while". Many weekends we would go "around the Bay" to Bay Roberts and spend Saturday shopping and then go to Uncle Lar's for a game of cards in the night.

In the last years of Dad's life she was kept busy looking after him as he slowly became bedridden. She still never complained and even when she wasn't feeling well herself she attended to his needs without hesitation. They were married for almost sixty-nine years and she took care of Dad until his death on January 10, 2002.

Mom always said after Dad died that she hoped she would get a few years to "enjoy life". She had planned to spend a little time with her children who were scattered throughout Newfoundland and the USA. But sadly, after Dads death, her health took a down-turn and even though she did live for 2 1/2 years after that, she never did get to "enjoy" those few years. Even though she was not well, she loved to have her family around her. It was only during the last few years of her life that I realized she had a real sense of humor and, because I lived here with her, I got to know her more closely. She would always have a funny story to tell about things that happened years ago about one of the family or some of her friends. Even as her health deteriorated she showed that she had a great love for her children as she would always be calling out to them and asking me "where are the children?" "Did they have anything to eat? Are their clothes washed ?" And the last month or so before she died she was constantly looking for "the baby". I would tell her that the baby was out in my bed asleep and she would look at me as if to say "who do you think you're fooling?" She would not rest until I assured her that she was indeed out in the big bed asleep. She was very skeptical but would soon doze off, contented that her "children" were all looked after. In this and many, many other ways our Mother showed that her first commitment in life was her children and their happiness. We all know how much she loved and cared for us and her memory lives on in each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren !!!

Mom,We will never forget you - you have left a void in all of our lives - we miss you so much !!!

FOR OUR MOM

You'll never forget your mother's face,
the sound of her voice,
the gentleness of her touch ...
They let you know you were loved.

You'll never forget the stories she told,
the traditions she handed down ...
They let you know who you are.

You'll never forget the lessons she taught,
the things she stood for ...
They are her gift and your legacy.

You'll never forget,
and you'll always know
that you honor her every day
in how you live and who you are.

"Mom, we love you."

"Mother"

If only I could see again, the twinkle in my mother's eyes.
To hear again, her gentle voice, And have her hold me when I cry.
If only she could be here now, To help me free my troubled mind.
I wonder if my mother knows, Although I've tried, no peace I find.

It seems a hundred years ago, That when I'd cry she'd wipe my tears,
And just like magic, when I'd fall, She'd be right there to calm my fears.
Oh, Mom, if you could only see, The hurt and pain I'm going through.
I must have cried ten million tears, Since the tears I cried when I lost you.

I know you're never far away, I almost feel you close to me.
Oh how I'd love to hold your hand, You're loving smile, I'd love to see!!
But in my heart you're still alive, I think about you every day,
Oh, Mother dear, why did you die? And leave me here so far away.

"Mom, your love has left an imprint that time cannot erase. It has etched its silhouette upon all you have touched."

Forever loved by your children: Sister Mary Pius (Nora), Bess, Kathleen, Mary, Carmel, Tom, Sharon, Sylvester, Alice, and Jim.

Also her grandchildren: Patrick, MaryBeth, Mark, Sean, Bernadette, Ray, Annette, Pat, Brian, Stephen, Christine, Lenora, Laurie, Dawn, Jacqueline, Kevin, Paul, Norbert, Rae Ann, Tommy, Tanya, Michael;

and her 33 Great-Grandchildren: Sara, Chelsea, Joe, Erin, Brianne, Maggie, Jonathan, Kyle, Sean, Adam, Samantha, Daniel, Liam, Mikayla, Nick, Colleen, Erin, Conor, Brendan, Brianna, Maria, Shea, Caelen, Ryan, Rebecca, Kevin, Gregory, Donovan, Fallon, Brogan, Katie, Tristan, and Luke.