MEMORIES OF MY AUNT MARY – 12/29/2020
My Aunt Mary was a loving, kind and gentle woman. A few happy memories come to mind, when I think of Aunt Mary. One was when Mary became engaged and wanted to introduce her husband-to-be, Alexander to her family. My mom, Helen, hosted a “getting to know you party” at my parents’ home where the entire Telischak family: Grandpa Theodore, Grandma Mary, Uncles Alex, Steve, and Nick along with Aunts Ann and Helen and their spouses gathered in our living room to meet Alexander. He may well have been overwhelmed by the attention and commotion generated by this large family. At some point after introductions and the shared meal, he escaped to the dining room with my brother and me and we played board games while everyone else socialized. He was quiet and unassuming and well liked by the family.
My wife Carol and I also have fond memories of Russian Christmas gatherings in January at Aunt Ann’s beautiful, large home in Gates Mills. For many years Aunt Ann, Aunt Mary and Aunt Helen prepared a huge traditional Christmas Eve dinner for about 30 family members. I can still picture us all sitting at this extended long table socializing and enjoying the delicious food prepared with love. The aunts and grandparents were very particular about keeping the tradition of no meat or meat products being served and only made the traditional Russian foods. Everything was always delicious. It seemed like it always snowed and created a winter wonderland that day. After dinner, we all gathered in the large, decorated living room with a Christmas tree and a warm fire in the fireplace. Then we exchanged gifts, talked, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company until late in the evening.
I miss those gatherings and still to this day recall the love and warm feelings that we all experienced from being part of this large extended family. I miss them all and wish we had spent more time with Aunt Mary and Diane in these later years.
In recent years, when Carol and I went on a bus trip with a group to a casino in Pennsylvania, we ran into Aunt Mary and Diane. Apparently, it was a favorite pastime of theirs to take day trips to near-by casinos. We spent a good part of the afternoon visiting and catching up on news of our families. We were delighted with this accidental meeting and a chance to reconnect with them.
God bless you Aunt Mary and may you rest in the Lord’s peace after a well-lived, long life!
Your nephew, Ronald and Carol Telischak
