Mom's Eulogy
Mom was quite clear that she didn't want a Mass or a service, but she did want one of her oldest friends, Ed Krise, to write her eulogy. Now just how in the heck do you deliver a eulogy without a service? Well, since she was a very active figure in city politics - not actually holding any office but aggressively campaigning for those candidates she believed in and writing God only knows how many letters to the editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune - the Tribune is going to be doing an article about her. So as part of my interview with them I e-mailed them Ed's eulogy and hopefully they'll print it - that way more people will see it than could possibly have done so at any service. I reprint it here: it pretty much sums up the kind of impact Mom had on many people.
Clara Ruckman
It has been said that in a lifetime one is lucky to have a handful of true friends. For Carole and me, Clara is one those friends, and because of her, we have been blessed.
It was some 45 years ago, by the grace of God, that she came into our lives. At the time, she and Carole worked together for Dr. Ginny Kumer. Each morning, I would drop Carole off at Clara’s home so that I could go to school and so that Carole would have a ride to work. Generally, it was late that night before I returned to pick Carole up. Out of the generosity which came so naturally to her, Clara would spend part of every day making sure that we were safe and that we were getting a good start as a newly married couple. She soon became our “other” mother and our cherished friend, and she did so without reservation.
One day, Clara gave Carole a two dollar bill (which Carole still has), and with it came an explanation. Whenever we were in need of money, we were to give Clara the bill, and she would loan us what was needed. When able, we would pay her back, and she would then return the bill. It was her way of assuring us that we would never be broke so long as we had this $2 bill. For us, it was a display of her compassionate, caring heart, the heart of a woman who thought more of others than of herself. Today, we got the bill out again and noticed that Clara had signed it all those years ago. We will cherish it forever and keep it as a loving memory of the giving heart of a beautiful lady.
In all these years, with all the good memories, we will surely miss talking with Clara. Since we lived so far from each other, we relied on phone calls and letters to keep us close, and connected. She had an intuitive sense that told her when to call us to make sure we were ok; inevitably, her timing was impeccable. Her jokes and sense of humor would always pick us up, and we chuckled after each conversation. I only wish that we could speak to her one more time or that we could remember more of our conversations from years past. We will hold those memories that we do recall very close to our hearts.
When Chet got sick, Clara responded just as we would have expected. Though sad, she took charge of the situation as only she could. I know all her energy and love was given to help Chet, the man whom she loved for so many years. Who would have expected anything less from her?
In closing, these few words on a plaque given to us by Clara sum up our feelings at this time:
Some people come into our lives
and quietly go.
Others stay for awhile and
leave footprints on our heart
and we are never the same.
We will never be the same since having known you. You have left your mark, and we will miss you with all of our hearts. We pray God will bless you now, and we will keep you in our prayers, always. We love you.
Ed and Carole Krise.
Clara Ruckman
It has been said that in a lifetime one is lucky to have a handful of true friends. For Carole and me, Clara is one those friends, and because of her, we have been blessed.
It was some 45 years ago, by the grace of God, that she came into our lives. At the time, she and Carole worked together for Dr. Ginny Kumer. Each morning, I would drop Carole off at Clara’s home so that I could go to school and so that Carole would have a ride to work. Generally, it was late that night before I returned to pick Carole up. Out of the generosity which came so naturally to her, Clara would spend part of every day making sure that we were safe and that we were getting a good start as a newly married couple. She soon became our “other” mother and our cherished friend, and she did so without reservation.
One day, Clara gave Carole a two dollar bill (which Carole still has), and with it came an explanation. Whenever we were in need of money, we were to give Clara the bill, and she would loan us what was needed. When able, we would pay her back, and she would then return the bill. It was her way of assuring us that we would never be broke so long as we had this $2 bill. For us, it was a display of her compassionate, caring heart, the heart of a woman who thought more of others than of herself. Today, we got the bill out again and noticed that Clara had signed it all those years ago. We will cherish it forever and keep it as a loving memory of the giving heart of a beautiful lady.
In all these years, with all the good memories, we will surely miss talking with Clara. Since we lived so far from each other, we relied on phone calls and letters to keep us close, and connected. She had an intuitive sense that told her when to call us to make sure we were ok; inevitably, her timing was impeccable. Her jokes and sense of humor would always pick us up, and we chuckled after each conversation. I only wish that we could speak to her one more time or that we could remember more of our conversations from years past. We will hold those memories that we do recall very close to our hearts.
When Chet got sick, Clara responded just as we would have expected. Though sad, she took charge of the situation as only she could. I know all her energy and love was given to help Chet, the man whom she loved for so many years. Who would have expected anything less from her?
In closing, these few words on a plaque given to us by Clara sum up our feelings at this time:
Some people come into our lives
and quietly go.
Others stay for awhile and
leave footprints on our heart
and we are never the same.
We will never be the same since having known you. You have left your mark, and we will miss you with all of our hearts. We pray God will bless you now, and we will keep you in our prayers, always. We love you.
Ed and Carole Krise.