On Sunday March 10, 2013, God needed a special angel so He came and took my mother, my best friend.

My mom was the mother of five, grandmother of five, great-grandmother of seven and great-great-grandmother of one. She gave a new name to the “Fighting Irish.” At the age of 85 and with over nine hospitalizations in one year, she had enough. On February 4, she was taken to the hospital. When she came home on the 8th, we were sitting on her bed and she said to me “it’s not fair that when I die you are going to have a party after the funeral and I will not be there.”

As I said in my last column, we had a cousins’ party and she had the time of her life, and then two days later, in the hospital again. One after another her organs started to shut down; it was a very long two weeks. On Saturday, the day before she died, there were 16 of us in her room. She took each one of us and told us how much she loved us and she was ready to go to be with Daddy.

On Sunday, we knew she was near the end and we all joined hands and said a Hail Mary. She took a breath at the beginning of the prayer, then a little breath, and as we were saying, “now is the hour of her death, amen,” she sighed and passed away. It was very peaceful, no more pain and suffering. She is with my dad and I am blessed with another guardian angel. I love you, Mom.

So many people loved her and want to do something for the family, we decided that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Tusten Volunteer Ambulance Service, 650 Route 97, Narrowsburg, NY 12764. They were always so good to her on her many trips to Wayne Memorial Hospital. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, The Laffin Family.

Have a great week and email leeniebeans@citlink.net or call 845/252-3568 if you have news.