Marie O'Donnell & her sisters & brother-in-law and Annie O'D

I'm not sure where or when this photo was taken but L to R it is Anne O'Donnell and Marie's two sisters (? & Helen and Helen's husband   O'Neill? ) and Marie (Muphy) O'Donnell.
Marie is absolutely gorgeous!

Sharon & Diane O'Donnell

I remember the day this photo was taken.  I must have been staying overnight at 91 Craig Ave. in Freeport, Long Island.  What beautiful young girls, although I must admit the bangs made me smile. Sharon, you must be wearing the lipstick that your Mom got for us from that fancy restaurant in Manhattan - What was it - the Brass Rail?  or the Stork Club?

Marie & Joe O'Donnell

This photo was stamped March 9, 1947 on the back.  It was taken in front of 62 Interboro Parkway on top of the garage roof.    They are so cute together.   Perhaps they were at 62 to celebrate my 2nd birthday.

Marie Gloria Murphy marries Lieut. Joseph T. O'Donnell

 

I don't remember ever seeing this before.  Perhaps Sharon and Diane have one of these wedding announcements.  This was found in an old album labeled Wedding Book that belonged to my mother.  I think this may be the same anniversary date as Shannon & Dave Concannon's wedding??  I didn't find anything about a reception in the album.  Does anyone know where the reception was held?  Marie was born on 2-7-25 therefore she was only 18 years old at the time of her marriage.  Joe was born 7-23-1922 therefore he was only 21 years old.  Wow, they were so young!

 

Aunt Margie's Eulogy

Several years ago, Aunt Margie asked if I would do a Eulogy for her when she died.   I felt honored by her request and said, "yes".  This past Saturday, I had to "break the rules" at St. Elizabeth's Church in Melville, NY in order to give my Aunt Margie's Eulogy in church.    But I thought to myself - what is worse  -  breaking the rules of the Diocese or breaking my promise to my Aunt Margie?   I prayed to the Holy Spirit and I received my answer.  The Eulogy was delivered from the altar as it was meant to be delivered.  After all, we are a priestly people and temples of the Holy Spirit.   Margaret O'Donnell Foulkes was the Beloved of God.  Therefore, what more appropriate place to share Aunt Margie's life than from the altar of God.  Erroneous rules are meant to be broken.  Yesterday I broke a rule that was wrong in order to keep a promise to my Aunt Margie.

Margie's Eulogy 

Although my Aunt Margie has been a part of my life for almost 70 years, my first conscious recollection of her was on January 14^th 1950.  Shortly before my 5^th birthday my cousin, Sharon, and I walked up the aisle of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in the Bushwich section of Brooklyn.    Right behind us on the arm of her father was a strikingly beautiful 22 year old woman named Margaret Mary O’Donnell - my Aunt Margie.   She was on her way to the altar to marry the man of her dreams, William Joseph Foulkes.  Recently I came across their wedding photo, and I couldn’t help but think that they were without a doubt a “Movie Star” couple.  My Uncle Bill was as handsome as Margie was beautiful.  They made a stunning couple.    

Margaret Mary O’Donnell was born in Brooklyn, NY on Nov. 5^th 1927.  She was the 6^th and last child born to Margaret Mary Coleman and Thomas Joseph O’Donnell.  To me it seemed that Margie absolutely loved the coveted spot of “baby of the family.”  I remember hearing that she liked to say to her mother, “I’m the Baby, aren’t I Mommy?”   

Ten and a half months after the wedding, this former Beauty Queen assumed the new role of “mother” when her first born son, Glenn, arrived on the scene.   The following Easter vacation I was invited to sleep over my Aunt Margie & Uncle Bill’s first apartment in Bay Ridge.   I learned so much watching this new mother care for her baby.  I admired so much about my Aunt Margie, I wanted to be just like her, and I wanted to marry someone just like my Uncle Bill.    I watched her carefully as she modeled the roles of wife, homemaker and mother of four.  When I was 17, she asked me to be the Godmother for her baby girl, Lynn.   I was delighted and honored by her request and of course I said “Yes”.  She built my self-esteem and gave me confidence in my abilities because she treated me in a special way and allowed me to see that I was a capable human being. This is a wonderful gift that one person can give to another.    

When she was a young adolescent she lived with her family in a second floor apartment at 1017 Putnam Ave.   Here is where she had some early experience in the responsibilities of mothering when her 5 year old cousin, Noel Krebs, 7 years her junior, accidentally set his 3^rd floor apartment on fire while playing with matches.   The fire department was called and promptly responded but not before considerable damage occurred.   Noel was sent downstairs to his Aunt and Uncle’s apartment and young Margie was assigned the charge of looking after her little cousin.  Margie loved the assignment and offered Noel all the love and tenderness her young heart could muster.  Noel reports that beautiful Margie fell in love with him that day and he also fell in love with her.  Her inner and outer beauty and her loving tenderness captivated him.  

I believe that a number of people saw Margie as someone who was as meek as a little lamb.   And truthfully, there was a lot of sweetness and gentleness about her.  She had the most beautiful, tender face and such a soft, pretty smile.  But she also had a strong, feisty side, which, personally, I felt only added to her attractiveness.   No one could ever pull the wool over Margie’s eyes.  When she had made up her mind in one direction, she was steadfast and determined.    Even the tall, dark and handsome Bill Foulkes, had to work quite strenuously to get that second date.  Margie took some convincing and she didn’t come easy.   He had to prove himself before he won over her heart and made her his bride.

 I remember hearing a rather dramatic story that demonstrates the strong will and determination of Margie.     Every year when school ended she left the heat of Brooklyn and went with her mother and her siblings to the lush green hills of Pa. to spend summer vacations at her grandmother’s home in a small countryside hamlet called Friendsville.  One time while she was there, she was invited to spend an overnight with two of her cousins, Nonie and Ruth Geary in the nearby town of Lawton.   They say that “three is a crowd” and in this instance it proved to be true.  The girls got into a fight and little Margie decided she was no longer staying at their home.  Instead, unbeknown to the adults in the house, she started out on foot to return to her mother in Friendsville – even though it was a full 15 miles away.   She was very young at the time and this journey was quite an impossible one for such a little girl.  That didn’t stop Marge - she had a goal and she was going for it.   Somewhere along the road she got tired and walked up to a stranger’s front porch and fell asleep.   Luckily the homeowners discovered her there, did some research, and were able to track down her family before her mother had the terrifying experience of learning her baby was “missing in action”.   Aunt Margie might have seemed meek and mild to some, but she certainly was not a shrinking violet.

Years later her assertiveness helped out in her career as a Real Estate Agent when tenants attempted to renege on their rental obligations.  Margie rightfully and solidly stood her ground.    

Margie’s life was not always a bed of roses.  There were times of great heartache and physical and mental suffering.   She lost two of her siblings before her 24^th birthday, and among other things she survived a broken hip and open heart surgery.  In spite of her pain, she continued to move forward, placing one foot in front of the other, giving us an example to follow of grace under fire.   As the O’Donnell Family’s last surviving member of her generation, she has had to say good-bye to her entire family.  Now that I’m older, I’m much more aware of how heart rendering these final good-byes can be so I understand better and admire her strength.     

Margie received a subscription to People Magazine for years and years.  This was quite appropriate and symbolic for a woman who loved to be around people.  She enjoyed entertaining, loved hearing her husband play a tune on the piano as he sang some classic love songs in their living room in Flatbush.   As a young babysitter, I enjoyed seeing her all dressed up and ready for a dinner and night out on the town with my Uncle Bill.    

Once or twice we disagreed and when I made a mistake, she was willing to forgive and forget.   She spoke her thoughts about certain issues directly and maturely and I learned from this.  She expressed words of forgiveness, and I was aware and grateful for her love.   She was a very creative woman, well dressed and a bit of an interior decorator.    Later in life she even took up painting and excelled in this area without any formal training.   My Aunt Margie was an honor to know, and I am a better person for having had her in my life.  She was a great example of womanhood, a marvelous illustration of unconditional love.  She taught me so much about life and loving and grace.  Although I believe she is and always was - like the rest of us - a spiritual being on a human journey, nonetheless I will miss her, I will miss her.  

Proud to call myself your niece, Mary Beth