Obituary of Helen Taliano

Taliano, Helen: (Elena, nee: Walters) - Surrounded by her family, on April 13, 2009 our beloved mother and "Nan" found peace in heaven with her husband, Joseph, and her eldest grandson Michael. Elena's formidable strength and spirit will live on in her 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. We will remember her commitment to her family, her love of traveling, her fabulous cooking and her countless hours volunteering with the Catholic Women's League, Meals on Wheels, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Elena will be greatly missed by her sons, Albert (Shirley), Don (Ruth), and her devoted daughter Judy Casciato (Bob), as well as her grandchildren, John (Elizabeth), Mark (Victoria), David (Doreen), Lisa Van Klaveren, Mark Gilroy, Chris (Angela), John Casciato (Aimee), and Andrea Ager (Rob). She will be remembered fondly as "Comare Helen" by Amalia and Angela Casciato and Nora DeLuca. The family is forever indebted to Dr. S Hartman and Elena's home care team (Pam, Elizabeth, and Lesley), as well as the staff and volunteers at Hospice Niagara, who surrounded her with comfort and support during her last few months. Mrs. Taliano is resting at the George Darte Funeral Chapel, 585 Carlton St, St. Catharines, please join the family to share memories on Wednesday April 15, 2009 from 7 - 9 p.m., Thursday, April 16, 2009, from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. The funeral liturgy will be celebrated at St. Denis Church on Friday, April 17, 2009, at 10 a.m., with entombment to follow at Victoria Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial remembrances can be made in Elena's name to Hospice Niagara or the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Albert's Eulogy First - On behalf of all our family, I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to my sister Judy and her husband Robert Casciato for the tireless loving care and attention they gave my Mother during her illness - thank you.The theme for this eulogy can be summed up in two words. Love and Courage. My Mother had an abundance of both. Elena Gualtieri known as Helen Walters,was born in a rustic area of southern Italy (FiglineVegliaturo) in 1915. The courage and foresight of her Father John, resulted in the family emigrating from Italy and settling on a small farm in the Niagara region when Elena was six years old. Together with her Mother Filomena, her siblings Joseph, Edward, Mary, Elio and her cousin Stanley, they lived in what we would consider a harsh environment; tilling the soil, raising farm animals, fetching water from a distant stream, and walking several miles, often in inclement weather, to a one room school house. At that time government assistance was not available to help immigrant families; rather these families relied on their own industriousness, ingenuity, and sense of family interdependence in order to survive and thrive. Their Father John was absent from his cherished family many months of the year in order to work in construction, building roads in Northern Ontario. Yet as an adult, I never heard either my Mother or Grandparents speak of the hardships of those early years, but rather as an opportunity to forge a new beginning in a country of promise and opportunity for their children. At age 13 Helen completed school as an honour student, however she had to forego further studies, and put aside her artistic talents in order to work with her Father in a small restaurant in Fort Erie (where the entrance to the Peace Bridge is today). In 1932, at the age of 17 Helen Walters married Joseph Taliano. My Mother had said to me that the marriage was arranged as a convenience, however she grew to love my Father dearly and she worked side by side with him all of her married life. When Father was admitted to Linhaven, Mother visited and cared for him everyday for over two years. For my Mother, working with my Father in a small business heightened her natural abilities as a socially responsive, warm and generous person. Mother†™s social consciousness was present throughout her life. During the depression years Mother made sandwiches and coffee for poor unemployed families that regularly came to our back door, and there were many. This type of social awareness continued until her late 80†™s. She delivered food in her car to the sick and elderly - many of which were much younger than my Mother. This volunteer activity was sponsored by the Meals on Wheels program. Many of us her today know that if one were to visit my Mother at any time of the day; she would insist that her guest partake of some food and drink. Indeed it was miraculous how a sumptuous meal could surface from a cold kitchen in moments after a visitor arrived at her doorstep. My Mother was physically a beautiful young woman. I recall when I was about 6 or 7 years of age (1940) walking with my Mother and her sister Mary in Montebello Park on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon - a group of young soldiers were playing football on the lawn, when they saw us, they stopped their activity and a symphony of whistles serenaded these two beautiful ladies. (Remember my Mother would have been about 25 years of age). Now the words †œsymphony†� and †œserenaded both imply hi-culture, however the word I preferred to use, but was forbidden by my editor, critic and daughter-in-law Elizabeth was †œcacophony†� which more accurately describes the discordant, harsh †œwolf whistles†� that came from these young men. I felt embarrassed at this rude behavior, but I could not help but notice and wonder at a slight smile that came across Mother†™s face as these two elegant Ladies appeared to ignore this attention. Mother was a handsome young Grandmother as well! When her 1st grandson, Michael was born, she became the child†™s second Mother. While walking this new baby in his carriage, passers by assumed this beautiful infant was her own, and Mother never denied it. This lovely lady had a charm, warmth and simple elegance that could light up a room with her presence. Mother loved deeply and was loved in return, a woman who helped so many people so selflessly. Today we are saddened by the loss of my Mother, however, which of us here would not be pleased and satisfied to look back at our own lives if we had accomplished what Elena Walters Taliano has accomplished. Raising 3 children of whom she was proud. Having the love and devotion of her children, and their spouses Shriley, Ruth and Robert grand children, great grandchildren, sister, nephews, nieces and many many friends. I was moved yesterday when I saw my Grand Daughter Isabella kneeling beside her Great Grandmother†™s coffin praying with a tear running down her face - a vision I will never forget. Having lived almost 94 years and maintaining a sound mind, clear thinking, determination and courage. For example: When Mother was admitted to Hospice Niagara for palliative care, she fully believed that she would recover from her illness. On one occasion Mother asked Judy to take her in her wheel chair out into the corridors so she could meet the other residents and their families. Judy replied that most of the residents stayed in their rooms and it was unlikely that she would meet anyone in the hallways. - Mother remarked †œWell then, I don†™t belong here. I should be someplace where I can meet new people.†� She truly lived out the words of Dylan Thomas†™s poem and refused to go gently into that good night. Mother had a spirited faith that she lived by; a faith that gave her strength and courage.This courage may be expressed in a verse I have adapted from Edna Millay. The courage that my Mother had went with her; this vision now a mere loom Rock from Niagara quarried Becomes granite in a tomb This gold ring my Father wore She left behind for me to wear I have little I eeasure more yet, it is something I could spare Oh if instead she left to me The thing she takes to the grave. The courage like a rock which she has no more need of, but we have. We should take comfort in knowing that Mother is now free of pain. We can be joyful in believing that her spirit is now in loving union with that of her Husband Joseph, her Mother and Father, Brothers Joseph, Elio, Edward and his wife Mary and her Grandson, our beloved Michael, and Michael†™s remaining ashes lay with his Grandmother today. My Mother was the personification of the word love. In my Mother†™s final day†™s she expressed but one regret and I quote her: †œI have run out of time to love everyone.†� Pax Vobiscum Mama!