January Memories

Today I’m sharing some January memories from both mine and Rich’s parents. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or it just happened this way but all four of them passed away in the month of January. The first to leave us was Rich’s dad on January 23, 1997 at 79 years old. My mom left us on January 15, 2000 also 79 years old. My mom and dad would have been married 57 years in October 2000 and for six long years my dad missed my mom so much. He passed away on January 20, 2006 at 89 years old. Rich’s mom stayed with us the longest, she passed away on January 13, 2019 at the age of 101!

I’m sharing some memories of each of them that stand out and bring some smiles back.

Alphonse DeMeo

Rich’s parents divorced when he was young so when I met Rich he made no mention of his dad. A few months after meeting Rich, I asked him about his dad and he told me he had died so I left it at that. The summer of 1966 we were walking down State Street in Schenectady New York when a man walked passed us. A few seconds later, he yelled, “Hey Richie, are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?” I looked at Rich and asked who this man was, he said it was his father. Seems like he didn’t really die, just in Rich’s eyes because he was out of the picture since he was about 7 years old. We turned around and he introduced me to him. We chatted a bit, got to know him and made some memories together over the years. I also learned the Rich and his dad shared the same birthday, July 31st. When our oldest daughter was born, Grandpa DeMeo was so proud and we got to know him even more. Years later Rich’s dad called him from his hospital room and asked him to come up. I don’t know what was said other than he was happy they had been reunited again after so many years. He passed away on January 23, 1997.

Anna Mae Henion

My mom was so sweet and everyone loved her. She was the head secretary at Burnt Hills Junior High school way back when I was in elementary school. When I moved up to junior high I saw my mom’s smiling face everyday as I walked passed the office. One funny memory I have is when our oldest daughter was maybe around three or four years old and we were all at the dinner table. Chris didn’t like peas and I told her just try them. Didn’t work so I said sit at the table until you eat THREE peas, that’s it, just THREE. My mom started saying something, probably don’t make her eat them. I told mom she was at least going to try them and at them point mom left the table crying. LOL I caved and told Chris forget the peas and go see if gramma was okay. They both came back smiling and Chris never ate her peas. To this day, at 56 years old, she still doesn’t eat her peas! My mom had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Mom passed away ten days before her 80th birthday from Alzheimer’s on January 15, 2000. I remember on her 1st heavenly birthday on January 25, 2000 we had a snowstorm in Myrtle Beach. The first thing Rich did when we got to our shop was make a snowman for mom. She knew Rich loved snow and I have a feeling mom had something to do with the snow coming down on her birthday.

Ernest Henion

I had the best dad too, how I loved walking up early mornings in the winter and he and I would drive to Saratoga Lake to go ice fishing. I never figured out why we parked at one particular spot then walked across the entire lake to get to the perfect fishing spot. But it was so much fun even when my feet froze. I was the “boy” dad always wanted, I was always working with him in the garden, the yard or helping him in the garage changing the oil in the car. My dad also worked for the Burnt Hills schools and when the older students had Friday night dances in the gym he would have to be there in case problems arose. I was way too young to go to the dance but he would take me with him and we would hang out in the office waiting for the dance to get over. So many fun times we had together. My dad was a Leap Year Baby so he only got a real birthday ever 4 years and we always made a big deal of it. It was super fun when my sister and I were older than our dad! When Rich and I got married, as we were walking to the church from the car, dad said, “I have a son now.” He always called Rich his son, not son-in-law.

My mom and dad were married in 1943 and had been together 57 years when mom passed away. Dad missed mom so much when she left us in 2000 and six years later on January 20, 2006 dad went home to be with his forever love.

Anne DeMeo

Rich’s mother always called me her daughter. She would have a big pan of chicken and potatoes cooking in the oven when I went over. That was her specialty way back when I first met her. She was a matron at the Schenectady school system not far from where we lived when Christine was born. I remember putting her in the stroller and walking over to the school, we would sit in the custodian room and wait until she finished her duties then her and the custodian would come down and spoil Chris with cookies or donuts. Ma was very independent and did everyone on her own. As she got up in years Rich and I would drive up and check on her. I remember one day she called crying and I asked what was wrong. She told me her hair was dirty and couldn’t get a hair appointment. So we put a “we’ll be back in a few days” sign on our door and drove from Myrtle Beach SC to Schenectady NY to correct the situation. I took shampoo, conditioner, scissors, hair dryer, curling iron and extra towels. I turned her kitchen into a beauty salon and attempted to comb out the knots in her hair but some were impossible to get the comb through. So I did the next best thing, I cut them out! Now I had never cut hair except mine and I don’t even us a hair dryer or curling iron but when I got down with ma’s hair she was so happy with her soft bouncy curls.

Ma lived the longest of all our parents, we had a 100 year birthday party for her in September 2017 and she passed away on January 13, 2019 at 101 years old.

I have so many memories and these are what keep them all alive in my heart. Still not sure what the meaning of all our parents passing in the same month means, maybe it doesn’t mean anything but I like to play around with numbers. 13, 15, 20, 23 – maybe I should go play the lottery with them!