The story of Jack, John, Bill, Jackie, Michelle, Katie, and Leo and their beloved family member, Pauline, is one of sheer and utter appreciation.
John and Bill are so glad that he has the opportunity to call Pauline his mother, and they know that they got lucky with having her as a mom. She has always been there for them and she has always provided for them, and John and Bill know that she has done the same for many others along the way.
“Pauline is the most genuine, kind, decent and funny woman with a great sense of humor,” he said. “She is always willing to help others in whatever way she can. Since we were kids, she would spend countless hours taking my brother, Bill, and I to soccer and baseball practices. She was always willing to take us to the movies and the Echelon Mall food court. She spent countless days freezing at Ski Mountain while we skied as well.”
Pauline has always been a selfless individual who is making sure that the people around her have everything they need, but moreover she has always been a selfless, sacrificial mother. She has always put John and Bill before anything else, or anyone else for that matter, and she was constantly making sure they were able to be involved in activities growing up.
Everything Pauline has ever done from the moment they were born has been for them, and they know this. John and Bill cannot thank their mom enough for being the ever-present woman she has always been in their lives, and they are glad they were blessed with such an amazing mother.
“She’s a fantastic Mother who’s always willing to listen to others’ problems,” John said. “She always has a remedy at hand. Mom is hilariously sarcastic and extremely intelligent. She is always there if you need to lean on her for help. She is also an extremely hard worker, to the point that at 84-years-old, she is still out shoveling snow.”
Pauline has never known anything other than maximum effort, and she is not going to let a little bit of old age hold her down. She knows what she is capable of, and she is always going to be that role model of hard work and dedication to both her kids and grandkids.
This perseverance that she has always shown her boys is something that was complemented well by Pauline’s husband throughout the years. They make such a great couple who have a sense of grit unlike any other, and John and Bill have always noticed this.
“I admire the way they persevered together to raise two sons and eventually have grandkids of their own,” John said. “They worked together to become extremely successful.”
This sense of togetherness that they have always shown each other has certainly paid off, as their dreams of being grandparents who get to spoil their grandkids have come true.
At the same time, with what a great role model Pauline has always been, he has certainly learned some great things from his mother. She has taught him all that he knows today, and the countless life lessons have never been forgotten.
“She always said, ‘Don’t do anything you would be ashamed of if I knew or saw you do it’ to my brother and I,” John said. “Those words always stuck with us.”
Pauline always had a way of being able to keep her boys in line, and that is why she is the beloved and appreciated wife, mother and grandmother she is today. She is loved by all – including her sister Peg in heaven, her daughters Julie and Amy, and her grandkids Olivia and Allison – and she brings so much joy to so many lives.
“She had such a positive impact on my brother and myself. We have both carved out successful teaching careers and have families of our own now. We truly love both of our parents.” – John