We Miss You

On January 4th, 2025, Noreen Ann (Whitters) Mendes passed away. She was 82 years old at the time of her death. Reenie was my mother.

Mom the Giver

We weren’t a wealthy family growing up. The City of Taunton, Massachusetts, employed Mom and Dad to work for the United States Postal Service (USPS). My only sibling is my sister, Jan, who is six years younger than me.

Regarding charity, some people donate money, others give time, and some are fortunate enough to do both. Mommy mainly gave her time. She belonged to many organizations, including churches and the rest outside the church.

My mother learned this from her mother, my grandmother, who we called Nana. Nana’s husband died when she had three young children. Noreen committed herself to institutions and did her best to raise her offspring. Noreen was the oldest child. Her siblings were Jack and Peg.

As a kid, it seemed like my mother constantly left the house to attend meetings, visit less fortunate people, participate in basilica groups, and spend time with family and friends.

Religion

Noreen was an Irish Catholic with a strong faith. She attended the Tabernacle regularly. My parents enrolled me in Catholic school for my first few years, meaning I was at St. Mary’s six days per week. My mother appeared to be there as much as me. I guess Sunday Mass wasn’t enough for her.

The summer before third grade, we moved to the other end of the city. My folks transferred me to public schools closer to our new home than the parochial ones. I missed the discipline of the religious schoolhouses during my first year. Eventually, I entered those academies and stayed there through high school.

Mom didn’t change her schedule because I changed my elementary education location. She still spent ample time at St. Mary’s.

Vegetables

My mother used to kill vegetables when she cooked them. They were soft and squishy. I didn’t know carrots and celery could be crunchy until college.

My first wife was also Irish Catholic, and she killed produce too. It’s a small sample size, but I suspect Celtic women don’t know how to cook greenery.

The Dreaded Disease

Noreen was diagnosed with early-onset Dementia when she was in her 50s. Today, early onset is classified as Alzheimer’s disease. She was told she had ten years of life remaining. Thankfully, she lasted 23 years. That’s why I am not overly sad about her death. She is finally at peace and in heaven, watching over us.

Assisted Living

In 2021, I reassigned my parents to an assisted living facility, The Arbors, in Taunton. I did this after being alarmed they weren’t eating well and figuring out Mom was skipping her medications. When we moved the recliner she sat in, there were dozens of pills on the floor.

Noreen loved The Arbors because there were plenty of activities to join. Her favorites were anything involving music and art. We had no idea how many painting projects she participated in until we cleaned the drawer where she kept her projects.

The other great thing about the Arbors was Mom couldn’t skip her meds. The nurses watched her take the medicine and asked her to open her mouth to ensure she swallowed the dose. We knew this worked because her quality of life improved once they moved there.

Marriage Can Last

Mom and Dad met at age 16 and married at 18. They started wedlock with my father in the Air Force, which was based in England and Texas. The couple returned to Taunton after my father left the service.

They celebrated their 63rd anniversary in April of 2024. Papa was her caregiver until they shifted into assisted living. Amazingly, they used to walk around The Arbors holding hands.

We will miss you, Noreen, our wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and grand-aunt.