Dedication: Helen and Ray Mahony

This is a pictorial dedication to my parents. They met at a party in September 1931 and they were together for the next 79 years.

Ray 1915

Helen and favorite brother George around 1920

Ray and sister Betty in 1924

Ray at the Jersey shore 1920 (Looks like young Tommy Wickham)

Ray 1931

Helen 1932

Ray 1933

Graduation Nutley High school 1933

1934 (wow, he looks like Todd)

Helen 1935-looking very good!!

1936 (Jeez, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other!)

Dapper Ray 1936

Ray and Helen (or is it Bonnie and Clyde)

Ray and sister Betty around 1938

Helen at Uncle George’s wedding

Trip to Bermuda 1960 (Dad wearing an ascot??)

1967

Former first baseman

1970s

Todd and Patty’s wedding 1988

A pictures is worth a thousand words

51st wedding anniversary April 16, 1989
Helen and Ray’s anniversary party 1988

Megan and Tom’s wedding 1996

Visiting Lake George

1991 reunion

Family gathering at Lake Valhalla 2000 (with favorite son)

Goofing around during a Board meeting at the park

Visit to NJ around 2004

Mid-2000s

60th and 70th wedding anniversary announcements

Ray with his bamboo plants. “Where did I get all this talent?” he asks.

A school assignment from Quinn Michael Mahony, oldest grandson, about his great grandfather

September 3, 2010

My dad was in the hospital quite sick and recovery was very unlikely. He refused to undergo an invasive procedure that had little chance for success. He was tired and in pain. “I’ve had a good life” he assured his sons. Brothers Ray and Steve went to pick up mom to bring her to the hospital for what would be their final visit. Todd stayed with my dad who asked Todd to help him clean up and comb his hair before my mother arrived. He wanted to look presentable for their last moments together. When my mom arrived they talked, held hands and had one final kiss. After the kiss she stood up and let everyone know once again that he was a great kisser. She went back home and he died at 4:27 that afternoon. Ironically, his eight children were on the phone making plans to handle the situation when he passed. As usual he was one step ahead of us. This photo was taken during that final visit.

Ray’s Obituary

Mom 2012

April 27, 2013

My dad passed away in September 2010 leaving my mother alone after close to 80 years with her life partner. With little exception she continued to live the next two and half years of her life with dignity and without complaint. It is hard to image the devastation of losing someone you so dearly loved for so many years yet she continued on with remarkable strength. While she enjoyed visits from her family as time went on her memory began to fade and energy level declined. She spent many hours sleeping, taking short walks and looking at family photographs which seemed to give her comfort. In early April she fell and fractured her pelvis and a vertebra in her lower back. She spent 10 days in the hospital and then arrangements were made to move her to a nursing facility. Her condition declined rapidly and hospice was brought in to manage what was likely to be her final days. Five days before she died she would no longer allow the nursing staff to feed her: she had made her final decision and decided it was time to move on. Reflecting on her decision I feel tremendous sadness but also great pride that she went out on her own terms.

This is the final picture taken of mom in late March. She had just visited with Todd and was on her way to dinner when he took the photo. My first reaction was profound sadness to see her alone but I now see it in a different way: I believe my dad was waiting for her just around the corner and they are now united once again.