this is for my dear dad, jack coyne ireland, only leafy treasure o'eberle~ireland love... he arrived in houghton, michigan, on a most colorFULL upper peninsula autumn september 24, 1928... his first 10 years were spent living with his only known grandparent, john carl eberle... poor jackie was shocked to discover his green thumb grandpa eberle passed away on a hot july day in 1938... his sweet auntie florence & dear uncle herm, persuaded jackie's mom to relocate to chicago after this tragic event... jackie's dad, harold, my dear pop ireland, finally found work after surviving the cruel depression, BEing a canadian citizen in a new country where many jobs weren't even available to americans... long story short, jackie, who was known to absolutely THRIVE in his hilly houghton home, had no choice but to move to the windy city...
he was thrilled to finally be surrounded by his four "parents" who doted on him... an early hysterectomy prevented his only know aunt & uncle to have children of their own... until each of these four very different folks would pass on, jackie would be their primary focus o'heart to say the least...
after relocating to what would be my birth place, jackie faced very different experiences in this strange urban place... in high school, world war 2 raged, and in what would be his senior year at south shore high, jack deceived ALL and joined the navy to serve in the final year of that conflict... he proudly received his honorable discharge four years later and again shocked ALL by marrying his secret high school sweetheart, a decision that forever changed his life... just a year after this bizarre wedding, with jack having moved to florida to attend university, his conniving wife literally kept him from knowing that his devoted mom suddenly became deathly ill with lung cancer... jack finally received an emergency western union telegram, begging him to get home ASAP... he did, and was shocked to discover his sweet mom dying in a coma... within several days, she quietly passed away at just 51 years of age, leaving a bewildered only son... again, lost story short, his already troubled marriage would lead to a bitter and necessary divorce... his spendthrift spouse literally left him owing massive bills to companies he was clueless to... her shyster lawyer uncle, made sure she would NOT be responsible for what she did... she was an only daughter and very much spoiled to say the least... both went their separate ways fortunately for ALL in 1955... no children luckily...
jack found his way back from near destruction and followed his dream to become a chicago police officer... on a night journey at a hospital gurney, he would meet the true love of his heart, a young nursing student named barbara jean williams... he was fascinated by her enchanting spirit and told me he fell in love at first sight... she would share that she knew instantly that she loved him too... after a poetic courtship, they decided to marry, each immediately embraced by the other's family... even when the catholic church refused to marry them without my dad seeking an annulment from his first wife, they secretly eloped on July 13, 1957 when my mom was in her final summer of nursing school... they attended a wedding reception that weekend and told no one of their nuptials, including their families... when she graduated on September 13, 1957, she handed her diploma along with her marriage certificate to their stunned, yet happy family members... a most leafy October surprise party for the couple was given as they discovered they were going to have a baby in the summer of 1958... by fall 1959, i would arrive and the williams~ireland family would be made four...
yet, again, long story short, after 41 years of infinite memories, jack would have his heart broken when his "rose" and loving pillar of his life would lose her decades long battle with brutal diabetes... his heart literally broke and on his 70th birthday, September 24, 1998, just 3 days after a funeral he NEVER expected to attend... i KNEW that something was going to happen to him... on this night, 10 years ago, i held a pizza "party" to honor his big 7~0... i read a poem to him, hoping to help him through his horrific loss... needless to say, anyone who KNOWS me realizes that he got his wish of not having a holiday without his "bibbles"... his "rose"... his "ma".... his angel of mercy nurse... & as much as i KNEW something was UP, i didn't true~ly expect to eulogize 2 parents in 5 shocking weeks... yet, i did~~~and tonight reflect on this 10 year anniversary event which would have been his 80th birthday... i call this his tir na nog birthday NOW and i KNOW that tonight he is being read a cherished story by his dear mom... ALL his other loved ones ARE there~~~ALL my older generation~~~celebrating with him... one mysterious time i will reunite too in the land of eternal youth... i see my top cop pop with his thumbs up saying, "long story short, chuckles...." i simply smile and blow my autumn night kisses to the starry night sky with purest love flowing...
in loving memory of my dear dad, top cop pop... jack coyne ireland, such a wanted baby born September 24, 1928... such a broken heart in need on October 23, 1998... such a missed physical BEing on September 24, 2008, always his spirit is ALIVE...
17 glen miller tunes for YOU NOW dear dad... i love you & so miss you, chuckles... & yep, you can call me johann sebastian bach too :):):)
this magical moonlight serenade is for you & mom to dance to NOW :):):) & then, have a dance with your mom, your other mom, auntie florence, and your 3rd mom, mom~in~law florence williams too... each so loved you and for that, i AM gifted...
& to those who told me i was too close to my family???!!!
YOU ARE DEAD WRONG :):):) OH YEAHHHHHH!!! :):):)
