| CONNIE LICHT September 8th, 1946 to January 12th, 2003 Mother of Christopher Michael Licht Grandmother of Steven Thomas Licht Daughter of The Late Mary & Edward Licht Sister of Patti Kukoleck, Edward (Kathy) Licht Aunt of Bryan (Mary-Margaret) Licht, Cara Licht & The Late Sean Kukoleck Great Aunt of Carmen Licht & Owen Licht Niece of Josephine & The Late Rocky Laurie and The Late Rose & Larry Skala Cousin & Friend to Many Loved By All Who Knew Her Member of San Leone Society |
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| "A REBEL WITH A CAUSE" Eulogy of Connie Licht Written & Read by: Joanne Laurie-O'Brien (cousin to Connie) January 16th, 2003 St. Monica's Church I stand before you today as just the spokesperson! I am honored to say the least, to be the one who tries to depict the life of CONNIE! I believe in my heart that our dear Connie knew she had 56 years to dabble in - she played all her cards and I�m sure she held the jokers for the last few years of her life. So as I attempt to tell the story just close your eyes as we celebrate the life of our beloved Connie! CONNIE LICHT �A REBEL WITH A CAUSE � Directed by and Starring in her own drama - Connie Cast of Characters Mary & Pat Licht Nana & Grandpa Lazzaro Eddie, Patti, Christopher, Lisa, Steven A host of Aunts, Uncles, Adopted Aunts & Uncles Cousins & Friends Setting - Cleveland�s Eastside between E.118th and Union and Linn Ave in Garfield Hts. ACT ONE 1946-----1973 As the story opens, the year was 1946. Mary & Pat Licht were living on E.118th St. above Nana and Grandpa Lazzaro in a two story brick double in a predominately Italian neighborhood. Mary and Pat were expecting their second child - they were already proud parents of young Eddie already 4 years old. Mary hoped & prayed for a girl to complete her family! She loved the idea of the perfect family - a boy and a girl. Children with which she would build strong, responsible characters. Children who would carry-out her Italian heritage & customs. On Sept 8th, 1946 Mary & Pat had their dream come true! Concetta, named respectfully for her Nana, was born. The world would know her as Connie. She was a beautiful baby with light blond hair & big brown eyes. She smiled and her eyes twinkled! She was shy and soft spoken. As little Connie began to grow she developed her own unique personality - much the same as everyone does! At an early age, Connie knew she didn�t like dresses, hair ribbons or frills. She repeatedly would change her Sunday best to a pair of jeans & tennis shoes. At the age of about 5, Connie could & would, field any baseball or football! She often was called on to be the goalie for the street hockey game. She could kick the can farther than most! She was given the task of babysitting all of her younger cousins - Frank, Sam, Rocky & Joanne. She would teach them any game she knew how to play. She was a master at any card game - Poker, 7�, Pinochle, Canasta, Fish, 500 Rummy & even Old Maid. Connie knew strategy & often she would cohort her friends to match wits on a board game - Clue , Monopoly, you name it, she�d beat everyone�s score! This was the beginning of Connie�s competitive personality - and think, this was all set in stone by Connie�s 11th or 12th year of life. In 1958, Mary & Pat moved to Linn Ave in Garfield Hts.. The plot thickens, the characters change. Mary & Pat are shocked when they give birth to a baby girl. They named her Patti. This was properly Connie�s first encounter with a doll - a living breathing one! Ed married Kathy Gorecki, their neighbor who lived behind them and Connie soon had a nephew & niece - Bryan & Cara. She loved the kids, after all, she was just a big kid herself! It is now the early 60�s and Connie has convinced Uncle Larry to teach her to drive. The gentle soul that Larry was could not believe that she could down shift & put the pedal to the metal- with him in the car! Connie was the envy of the neighborhood in her first car, a little white corvet! At this point in the story - the details begin to get a little sketchy�so says Patti & most of the family. For a complete details of what went on at the Mapletown Bowling Alley, Maple Hts. Manners or the dances at the K of C Hall - one would have to ask Gracie & Joyce! One can only imagine Mary�s face when the three of them strolled in - in the wee hours of the morning�.or possibly the next day- a little queezy. Was that JB that Connie had been drinking? Nope- she�d never tell- not ever! Connie developed a close bond with her friends . She was loyal, true blue and became their protector! Connie was in more than one fight to defend their honor! In the mid 1960�s, Connie got her real first job she loved and kept for 35 years at Container Corporation in Solon. On the assembly line there she developed a relationship with her co-workers that would last a life-time. Her friends at work became her second family- she worked the swing shifts. Connie was a trusted employee- almost always- it was just when she went to Carbondale, PA to see her relatives or when she traveled 14 hours to New Hampshire to visit her dearest friend, Gerry Fisk, that she�d be AWOL for a day, a week or so! Connie never sweated the small stuff- �DON�T WORRY BE HAPPY� she�d say! She always made it back! Sometimes she�d get off the OHIO TURNPIKE & DRIVE STRAIGHT TO WORK! Bet she got a few pink slips in her day! Just ask Tammy and Teresa her dearest friends at work, bet they�d have a story or two to tell! ACT TWO 1974 to the Present The holidays were over. Mary & Pat had hosted their annual Christmas dinner. From soup to chestnuts - complete with DO-DO�S, chocolate pizzelles and Aunt Josie�s coconut bars. Connie was in her glory. Christmas seemed always to her favorite time of the year. Probably because of all the toys- not to mention all the good food! It was March and the call came! Connie was pregnant and there�s going to be a big shower to celebrate. The family was happy and so was Pat & Mary, after the initial shock �that is!�..�. On April 15th, 1974 Connie�s life changed forever! The heaven�s opened up and the Good Lord blessed her with a handsome, healthy baby boy - she named him Christopher! It was as though God said �Connie, I have given you my most precious gift, it is up to you to shower him with your love as you watch him grow! You must set the example!� From that moment on, Connie�s life changed and she blossomed. Every spring from that day on she celebrated Christopher�s life. She sacrificed many things as a single Mom to give Chris all that she could. She undoubtedly had help from Mary & Pat, but Connie went over the top to do what she could for Chris. She played both roles - Mom & Dad and she did a hell of a job! She raised a fine, loving son, the way her parents taught her. She taught him love- by example. Connie loved her Aunts & Uncles. She devoted her life to chauffeuring them all around. She never lost contact with any of them- Aunt Rosie, Aunt Josie, Aunt Carol and twenty more. She had the same devotion to her friends- she loved Grandma Chris, Fran Miller, Rosie Zingale, Nancy McElhiney, Steffie Ausprunk & Gloria DiVencentis- with whom she spent the last years of her life- just talking about the Scrabble game and the 7 letter word with triple the points she�d get- the next time they played. Connie lived life to the fullest! She vacationed with Christopher! Then came the addition of Sean Kukoleck- it was as if Connie had a second son! Patti, Sean, Christopher & Connie set sail for as many places as they could! She never said no- she�d pack the car and away they�d go! New Hampshire, Tennessee, Florida, Pennsylvania & Canada. One memorable trip that stands out in Connie�s life as a World Traveler (besides Las Vegas, Atlantic City & the Alaskan Cruise) was the family trip to Italy! Eleven members of the family traveled for 21 days all through Italy- one particular funny event occurred in a convent in Frascati outside of Rome. All the guest were locked in that night and Connie wanted to get a poker game together- so she & Carl Costanzo, and a few others found the only communal room in the place- THE CHAPEL- they draped towels over the statues & the Blessed Virgin- & turned the portable ALTAR around and pulled up the chairs! Open Poker - No Poverty - 1 dollar & Two! Can you imagine how hard and funny it was to convert the Lyre to American! And Connie kept raising- nothing unusual for her! She�d up the stakes to drive everyone out of the game! During the last few years of her life Connie battled emphysema amongst other things. She found it very hard to quit smoking but tried her damndest! Her life after leaving work came to a screeching halt but there was one bright spot that for fulfilled all of her dreams. Lisa & Christopher Licht gave birth to a son and they named him Steven. As sick as she was, Connie couldn�t be happier- he was the light of her life, despite the fact that most times she was too sick to be alone with him. She finally became a NANA! On Sunday January 12th, 2003, during the wee hours of the morning- the Angel of the Lord came to pick up Connie and bring her to a place where no oxygen tanks were needed and no pain medication necessary. Her job on earth was complete. She humbly surrendered to meet her Maker. ACT THREE Fast Forward to Super Bowl Sunday January 26th, 2003 The table is set and Connie is surrounded by her most favorite people- Mary, Pat, Larry, Rose, Nana, Grandpa, Sean, Rocky, Jerry and Donald And a plethora of others. Connie has the remote in one hand- the game of Scrabble laid out. There are no takers- the group just wants to relax & watch the game or play poker!! Connie can be heard as saying �This place smells like a French whorehouse!� �I�ll take my steak, extra, extra rare!� �Pass the pepper, please!� �Where�s the Tabasco sauce and I only eat Aunt Peppi�s stuffing!� �Ice cold Pepsi please, no ice!� �The air conditioning is always on. Yeah!� When the Lord asked her how she was doing, Connie replied, Good, Good! I feel Good! I did Good - I know I did! So tell my family & friends, I�ll pick them up at the door when they get here! I�ll wait a lifetime! I�m in no hurry! |
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