The following is a note I received from a friend about her great-uncle George Mendonca and his wife Mary Carriero Mendonca, of Newport/Portsmouth RI. She says their families came from Sao Miguel. They passed away within 24 hours of each other this week, at the ages of 101 and 93. I forward it with her permission because I think it is possible some of you on this list may know this family. They created and maintained the topiary animal garden in Portsmouth, RI.
The Providence Journal had a front page story on them this week: <http://www.projo.com/news/content/MENDONCA_OBIT_02-05-11_46MB5UI_v16.1a1e9c 7.html> http://www.projo.com/news/content/MENDONCA_OBIT_02-05-11_46MB5UI_v16.1a1e9c7 .html Eileen Leite From: MaryEllen Barker [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 6:16 PM To: Barker/Mary Ellen Barker Subject: About my Great Uncle George and his wife Mary Sorry I forgot the link! Here it is in case you care to see it: <http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com/_mgxroot/page_10780.php?id=890263> http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com/_mgxroot/page_10780.php?id=890263 I thought you may find this info about my Great Uncle George and Aunt Mary interesting. This link following has their obit from the funeral home and includes a picture of them. My uncle holds a pot with a mini topiary piece. The topiary in the Green Animal Gardens are huge!!! In the past month or so Uncle George has been sick and ended up in the hospital. We thought that was the end but with a little readjustment of his meds he got better and ended up going home in good shape. Well, shortly afterwards, about a week and a half ago, Mary got sick and had to go to the hospital where she had to be admitted to ICU with pneumonia. (We all chalked it up to the fact that she didn't want help with Uncle George when he was sick at home, taking care of everything herself and just getting worn out.) In the ICU she was on a breathing machine so couldn't talk and was not very responsive as she got sicker. Well, Uncle George asked to go see her so they took him there. When he held her hand and spoke to her she opened her eyes and squeezed his hand. He then went home and got sick shortly thereafter so was admitted to the geriatric unit of the hospital with pneumonia also. Well three days ago, they took her off the machines saying she wasn't getting better, there was nothing the treatments were doing for her and there was nothing else they could do. They transferred her to be in Uncle George's hospital room. He talked to her throughout that night. In the morning she died. When they told Uncle George that she had died, he said he didn't want to live without her. Well, twenty four hours later, he died too. I told David that that is the way to do it. Be happily married and live in your own home for 70 plus years and die within 24 hours of each other....no problem with the loneliness of widowhood doing it that way!!! They truly were blessed. My Uncle George made a beautiful orchard arrangement for my Grandma Elshant's wake and signed the card "Your Baby Brother George". He was in his mid nineties at the time. She died at 106. Anyway, pray for the repose of their souls and say prayers of thanksgiving for the gift of their sweet lives. They truly were very kind and generous people and an example for all. ME -- To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership."
