Beautiful Maureen
We are here to celebrate the beautiful life of Maureen, a beauty that was exemplified in so many ways including her physical beauty, warm emotional beauty and spiritual beauty.
Literally, of course she was beautiful. Her husband Gary describes when he met her as attractive, dark haired blue-eyed Irish Catholic girl who, like himself grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and shared traditional values. They fell in love and were married for 39 years. During their marriage, they created three beautiful children, Katy (37), Paul (35) and Peter (33).
Her inner beauty was filled with kindness, warmth and generosity. She was a loving caring person, always sensitive and polite to those around her. Maureen never had an unkind word to say about anyone.
She had also had a passion for life and was always looking for fun. She liked nothing better than to laugh, share and experience the great things life had to offer with Gary, Roseann, family and friends. She had the good fortune to be surrounded by many wonderful friends who shared these qualities, many of whom are here today and are captured on the pictures displayed at the calling and throughout her home. Whether it was bridge, travel, tennis or dinner, Maureen was always an enthusiastic participant.
Maureen strongly believed that family should be in constant communication. She was the central contact erson keeping her children informed of the goings on of herself, Gary, Roseann, and the other children on a weekly basis. She kept notes by the phone to report any goings on with other family members. She always wanted the best for her children and encouraged them to support each other by keeping in touch.
Her generosity was exemplified at the end of her untimely death, when, in honoring her wishes, her organs were donated to people she had never met. We hope that this final gift will make a difference in someone’s life.
During the past week, there has been an outpouring of love and support from the community, reflecting not only a great community but also a testament to great
friendships and a great person.
Though it is impossible to summarize the essence of a person in such a short time, the word that comes to mind to best describe Maureen is “beautiful”.
Her beauty will live on in the hearts, mind spirit of Gary, Roseann, her children and all of those who were fortunate enough to know her.
We are here to say good-bye to “Beautiful Maureen” and pray for her successful journey to God.
Eulogy - Fr. James Bonke 5/19/02
Sympathies to Gary, to Katy, Paul and Peter; to Roseann, and to Maureen’s sister Carol and brother Gerald, on behalf of all of St. Luke parish.
Death is never something that is easy to accept for those who survive. We know that when a loved one dies their earthy life has ended, but we also know that no longer will we be able to experience the joy of that person’s loving presence. The sadness brought on by death in intensified even more so when death is sudden and tragic, as it was for Maureen Fogle. The grief that you, her family, are experiencing at this time is shared by her many friends. The tears that have been shed this past week have been expressions of true sadness, but also expressions of compassion and support.
While it is natural that we mourn in the face of death, our Christian faith, the faith lived by Maureen Fogle, tells us that through death we come to share the life of Jesus our risen Lord. We have just completed our annual celebration of the Easter season, when for fifty days we have recalled that Jesus, after his death rose to life again, but this resurrection was not for him alone. Rather, it was for us, so that we might not be separated from him, but so that one day, as Scripture says, “we shall become like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Our baptism calls us to life in Christ; in death that life is brought to fulfillment. So it is, that in the midst for our tears we can, in Christian faith, give thanks for Maureen Fogle and celebrate the life of this good and beautiful woman.
We’ve heard it often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps that is why those who knew Maureen, her husband and children, family and friends, saw her as a truly beautiful person, possessed not just physical beauty, but also a warm emotional beauty, and an inner spiritual beauty as well. Her husband Gary describes when he met her as attractive, dark haired blue-eyed Irish Catholic girl who, like himself grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and shared traditional values. The young couple was married in 1963, thirty-nine years ago, and had three children, Katy, Paul and Peter.
Maureen was, in her family’s words, a kind, warm and generous person, with a passion for life. One could see in the pictures displayed at the funeral home her zest for living, always looking for fun things to share with her family, and also her many friends who shared these same qualities. And her family is grateful for the presence of so many here today as well as at the calling yesterday. The outpouring of love and support this week from friends and community has been a testament to great friendships and a great person.
Every family needs a point of communication, and that was Maureen, the central contact person for the Fogle family, keeping all informed of the family goings on, on a weekly basis. She wanted only the best for her children, wherever they might be, and encouraged them to support one another always by keeping in touch. (AT&T must have loved her1)
Maureen’s generous nature has already been noted, but that generosity continued even in death. In honoring her wishes, her bodily organs were donated to people she had never met. The Fogle family hopes that this final gift will make a difference in someone’s life.
The gospel of the Beatitudes, chosen for this funeral liturgy, describes the true follower of Jesus. The gospel presents a blueprint for life that would appear to be a contrary to what one might otherwise choose to follow. But following Jesus depends a difference, one that is not always easy to adhere to. In following the way of Jesus we a re guaranteed to share in the joy of his life in heaven. Trusting in our faith, the same faith of our departed sister, we can be confident that Maureen Fogle now lives in the peace and joy promised by God. While we mourn, we also give thanks for the goodness and beauty of Maureen, and we pray for her successful journey to God’s heavenly kingdom. Eternal rest granted unto her, O Lord. May she rest in peace. Amen.
To Those I Love and Those Who Love Me
When I am gone, release me, let me go
I have so many things to see and do.
You mustn’t tie yourself to me with tears,
Be thankful for our many beautiful years,
I gave to you my love. You can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown
But now it’s time I travel on alone.
So grieve awhile for me, if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comfort by trust.
It’s only for a time that we must part
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won’t be far away, for life goes on.
So, if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near
And, if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear
All my love around you soft and clear.
And then, when you must come this way alone,
I’ll greet you with a smile, and say
“Welcome Home”
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