Mary Mitchell Obituary

Thank you all for your continued support and appreciate your words of comfort. Mom is gone and I will never forget what she left behind, love and thought for family. I assure you, the Mitchell's will always remain connected with the Brennan family, as Mom has always wanted.



I look forward to the days where my eyes are not swelled with tears, but rather laughter of all the good times we shared.



God Bless Mom and each of you!

Dear Cousins,

Tomorrow will be two weeks since your mom's funeral. Her sudden passing was not unlike my dad's, and its unexpectedness left me wishing I could have done something more for her, just as I felt after my dad's death. Reflecting on that, it seems logical to do just what I did after he passed. I will remember the good things with love and graditude and learn from her difficult experiences. In the aftermath of my dad's death at 47 in 1981, I resolved to change some of my habits and take better care of my health, as I knew he would want. And though nothing in life is certain, I am 45 now and free of some of the bad habits I used to have. He would want me to last longer!

I remembered little things my dad said, like 'flowers are for the living' --- he didn't care too much about bringing them to the cemetery --- and I started giving flowers more often. In anger and frustration we had said unkind things to each other, never guessing life could be so short, but I thought about his wry smile and sense of humor, and I knew he would want me to remember good times. I learned, and I go on learning, to come to terms with my anger, impatience, and judgmental attitudes, because my dad would want me to surmount those things he also had trouble with. Believe me, what it says in Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" about Joy and Sorrow is true: 'The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain...the cup that holds your wine is the very cup burned in the potter's oven...and the lute that soothes your spirit was the very wood that was hollowed with knives.'

In her wonderful eulogy, Eileen mentioned the joy and laughter that poured out of Farragut Street, and yes, we are a very funny, goofy, happy family most of the time, but as Gibran concludes, joy and sorrow are inseparable, "Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is alseep upon the bed." Farragut has seen its share of both laughter and tears. In spite of some hardships and hurts back then, I have often thought that the best testament to my dad was that we held up well and kept on laughing. I know you will have this experience too.

I remember a sad Thanksgiving when I was 19, going to school at Illinois Benedictine, not doing too well, choosing to stay on campus in a vain attempt to salvage the semester, not really wanting to go home anyway. Were the folks fighting? Was I just being contrary, feeling sorry for myself? I can't remember. But your folks found out about it, and came and got me, and I had Thanksgiving with the Mitchells, because your mom was nearby and she wouldn't have me missing a Thanksgiving dinner. It's a fuzzy memory - you may remember it better than me - but it was something special she did for me at a difficult time, and I never forgot.

Eileen's eulogy was so perfect, so deep, so heartfelt and moving, there's nothing I could hope to add.

I will miss your mom, but as Eileen said so well, I know that she is at peace and celebrating the life hereafter with her parents, sister and brothers --- along with the vast array of relatives the went before them. Quite a gathering.

I hope you will find comfort from your spouses and families and friends, and remember that all your Brennan cousins are with you for support in this time of grief and in times of joy to come.

With love and prayers,

Your cousin, Mike

Dan, we were so sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. Our deepest condolence.

Hello Everyone,

I was so sorry to hear about your mom. Hope you all are doing well and will be in touch with you soon.

Love Ellen

My deepest sympathy to all of you. Words cannot express what each of you are going through. I am sure there are not enough tears left to cry. May the sun always shine it brightest on each of you.



Sincerely,

Mindy