Contributions to the tribute of Martha A. Motschmann

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Wednesday, August 31, 2022

MARTHA MOTSCHMANN EULOGY GIVEN BY: GEORGE MOTSCHMANN, JR AT WILLIAM LAW FUNERAL HOME AUGUST 18, 2022 MELISSA, THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOUR WEDDING IN MAY. THAT’S WHEN I FOUND OUT MY SUIT DIDN’T FIT. FOUND OUT I GOT A LITTLE PROSPERUS AROUND THE WAIST AND GOT THE SUIT ALTERED. ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER STEPHEN, AND SISTERS CHRISTINE AND MARYLOU, AND THEIR SPOUSES, MARIE, JERRY AND STEVE, MY WIFE, PAT, PLUS THE MANY (12) GRANDCHILDREN HERE TONIGHT PLUS HER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN (SHE HAS 13), SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING PRESENT TODAY TO EXPRESS YOUR CONDOLENCES AND SHARE WITH US OUR FINAL RESPECTS TO OUR MOTHER, MARTHA ANNA STEIGER MOTSCHMANN. A FEW MONTHS AGO PAT AND I WERE BLESSED WITH ANOTHER GRANDCHILD, JAYCE KADRI. GIVEN THAT MY DAUGHTER’S FAMILY SHARE THE SAME HOUSEHOLD IN CONNECTICUT, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE KATE WAS A BABY THAT PAT AND I HAD AN INFANT LIVING IN THE HOUSE. AND SO, WE GOT TO EXPERIENCE, ONCE AGAIN, THE CONSTANT ATTENTION THAT A NEWBORN REQUIRES, THE CYCLE OF FEEDING, THE BURBING, THE CHANGING OF DIAPERS, THE ROCKING TO SLEEP AND DECIFIERING A NEW DEMAND CONVEYED BY CRYING. AS ALL NEW MOTHERS EXPERIENCE, KATE WAS CONSTANTLY EXHAUSETED AND WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE FAMILY HELP. I MENTION THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A REMINDER OF WHAT OUR MOM WENT THROUGH AFTER GIVING BIRTH AND RAISING MY THREE SIBLINGS AND I. ADDITIONALLY SHE HAD THE HEARTACHE OF LOSING HER SON, PAUL, TWO DAYS AFTER HE WAS BORN. I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE IN MOM’S LATER YEARS, MOM DEVELOPED A MORE DIFFICULT PERSONALITY AS HER PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BEGAN TO FAIL AND THE FOUR OF US, AND OUR SPOUSES, HAD TO TAKE OVER HEALTH CARE DECISIONS, HER FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, CONVINCE HER TO MOVE INTO AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY AND DEAL WITH THE INEVITABLE CYCLE OF HOSPITALISATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP REHAB CENTERS THAT REQUIRED OUR ATTENTION. AS ANYONE WHO HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH AN ELDERLY PARENT WITH INCREASED DEMENTIA CAN ATTEST, IT CAN BE VERY TRYING AND EASY TO FORGET THE SACRIFICES MOM MADE FOR US SO MANY YEARS AGO. MARTHA’S LIFE WAS FILLED WITH CHALLENGES EARLY IN LIFE. SHE WAS BORN IN WHYCOFT HOSPITAL IN BROOKLYN ON MARCH 1ST, 1926. A FEW YEARS LATER HER FAMILY MOVED TO EAST ROCKWAY AND SHE, ALONG WITH HER OLDER SISTER, LOUISE, HAD THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION. AS PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE WHO LIVED THROUGH THAT TIME IN HISTORY, SHE DEVELOPED THE KNACK FOR SAVING AND WASTING NOTHING THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. PEARL HARBOR ROCKED THE NATION AND THE U.S. ENTERED WORLD WAR 2 WHEN SHE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEENAGER. DESPITE THE TOUGH TIMES, MOM WAS A POPULAR STUDENT AND WAS VERY ACTIVE IN SCHOOL SPORTS, INCLUDING PLAYING POINT GUARD ON THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND SHOOTING ARCHERY. SHE ALSO ENJOYED HORSEBACK RIDING. THROUGHOUT ALL THIS PERIOD IN HER LIFE, HER DAD, A FIRST OFFICER IN THE MERCHANT MARINE, WAS AWAY AT SEA FOR MONTHS AT A TIME, SO HIS ABSENCE MADE HOME LIFE A BIT MORE DIFFICULT, SOMETHING THAT MOM ALWAYS RESENTED. WHEN MOM GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, SHE COMMUTED INTO MANHATTAN TO HER MACY’S BOOKKEEPING JOB WHERE SHE GOT REALLY GOOD AT ADDING NUMBERS IN HER HEAD, A SKILL THAT STILL AMAZED US WELL INTO HER EARLY NINETIES. SHE HAD THE ANSWER FASTER THAN WE COULD DO IT WITH A CALCULATOR. FOLLOWING THAT JOB, SHE WAS A SECRETARY AT A SCHOOL IN LAWRENCE WHERE SHE PUT TO USE HER ABILITY TO WRITE IN SHORT HAND, ANOTHER SKILL THAT STAYED WITH HER THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. I WOULD LOOK AT NOTES SHE WROTE THAT LOOKED LIKE HIEROGLYPHICS AND WONDER IF IT’S A REMINDER TO CUT ME OUT OF THE WILL FOR NOT VISITING HER ENOUGH. AFTER THE WAR MOM MET HER HUSBAND, GEORGE, WHO HAILED FROM LYNBROOK. THEY WERE MARRIED ON APRIL 10, 1948 IN SAINT RAYMOND’S CHURCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED INTO A NEW TINY HOUSE IN WEST HEMPSTEAD. IRONICALLY, GEORGE AND MARTHA LIVED ON WASHINGTON STREET. I ARRIVED A BIT PREMATURELY IN DECEMBER, 1949, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE IN FEBRUARY, ‘51 AND MY BROTHER, STEPHEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 1952. MARYLOU DELAYED HER ENTRY INTO THE FAMILY, ARRIVING FOUR YEARS LATER IN SEPTEMBER OF 1956. PAUL, OUR YOUNGEST BROTHER WAS BORN IN 1961. UNFORTNATELY HE NEVER MADE IT HOME, PASSING AWAY AFTER 2 DAYS. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DEVESTATION THAT MOM FELT LOSING HER NEWBORN, A PAIN THAT MY SISTER CHRISTINE CAN RELATE TO. DAD, WHO WORKED FOR NEW YORK TELEPONE IN THEIR FAR ROCKAWAY CENTRAL OFFICE, WORKED 8-HOUR SHIFTS AROUND THE CLOCK, SO MOM OFTEN HAD TO JUGGLE RAISING ALL OF US WHILE CONSTANTLY READJUSTING TO TIMETABLES TO ACCOMMODATE HIS WORK SCHEDULE. SHE HAD TO MAGICALLY STRETCH THE FOOD BUDGET FOR A FAMILY OF SIX WHICH MEANT THAT WE OFTEN ATE CHEAPER CUTS OF MEAT THAT WE WOULD GAG ON TODAY, SUCH AS LIVER, AND TONGUE. SHE WAS A TROOPER THOUGH, AGREEING TO GO FAMILY CAMPING EACH YEAR, INITIALLY IN TENTS AND THEN IN AN APACHE SILVER BUFFALO POP-UP CAMP TRAILER. ONE OF THE PLACES WE WOULD VACATION AT WAS A STATE CAMPGROUND IN THE CATSKILLS, CALLED MONGAUP POND. BOTH MY SISTER CHRISTINE AND I STILL GO THERE ANNUALLY WITH OUR SPOUSES AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. MOM AND DAD WEREN’T ALWAYS IN THE SAME PAGE THOUGH, HARDY UNSUSUAL FOR ANY MARRIED COUPLE. I RECALL A CONVERSATION WITH DAD ABOUT HIS PLYMOUTH BELVEDERE. WHILE DISCUSSING ASPECTS OF THE CAR HE MENTIONED THAT HE NEVER LIKED ITS OD GREEN COLOR, BUT MOM LIKED IT SO THAT IS WHAT HE ORDERED. I DECIDED NOT TO TELL HIM THAT MOM MENTIONED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE HATED THAT COLOR, BUT DAD LIKED IT SO SHE SAID NOTHING. WHEN PAT AND I INFORMED MOM THAT WE WERE ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED, SHE CONGRATULATED US AND THEN LOOKED SQUARELY AT PAT AND SAID “NO GIVEBACKS”. DAD RETIRED EARLY AT AGE 62 IN MAY 1986 AFTER 40 YEARS WITH THE PHONE COMPANY WITH GREAT TRAVEL PLANS AND THEY BOUGHT A 33’ TRAVEL TRAILER WITH THE INTENTION OF SNOWBIRDING IN FLORIDA. UNFORTUNTELY, MOM’S LIFE WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN SIX MONTHS LATER ON DECEMBER 3RD WHEN DAD SUDDENLY PASSED AWAY AT THE HOSPITAL FROM A HEART ATTACK AFTER HAVING SEVERAL KIDNEY STONE PROCEDURES. AFTER RECOVERING FROM THE SHOCK OF SUDDENLY LOSING HER HUSBAND, MOM JOINED A WIDOW AND WIDOWERS TRAVEL CLUB AT SAINT ANNES PARISH IN GARDEN CITY, MADE NEW FRIENDS AND WENT ON SEVERAL TRIPS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHICH INCLUDED WHALE WATCHING IN BOSTON HARBOR, AND VISITS TO THE MID-WEST AND BUTCHART GARDENS NEAR VANCOUVER. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT MOM BEGAN GIVING HER FOUR KIDS MONEY AT CHRISTMAS TIME EACH YEAR FOR THE EXPRESSED PURPOSE OF US ALL GOING OUT TO DINNER TOGETHER WITH OUR SPOUSES. SHE WANTED US TO STAY CLOSE AND RECOGNIZED HOW EASY IT IS TO LET LIFE GET IN THE WAY OF STAYING IN CONTACT. FOR MANY YEARS THE EIGHT OF US WOULD GET TOGETHER ABD GIVE MOM A TOAST AT DINNER AT VARIOUS RESTAURANTS UNTIL HEALTH ISSUES WITH SOME OF US MADE THAT TRADITION HARDER TO CONTINUE. FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS MOM CONTINUED TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE ON WASHINGTON ST. KEVIN AND DOUG AS TEENAGERS WOULD GO OVER TO HELP WITH YARDWORK AND AT TIMES THAT GOT CHALLENGING AS MOM WOULD MICRO-MANAGE WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING. FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR CUTTING A LARGE LAWN WITH HER SMALL CORDED ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER – MOM WOULD TELL THEM THAT THEY HAD TO OVERLAP HALF THE MOWER OVER THE PREVIOUS LANE OF CUT GRASS, SO THAT THE BLADES WOULD EVENLY WEAR. EVENTUALLY, MOM THANKFULLY DECIDED THAT MAINTAINING THE HOUSE WAS TOO MUCH, SOLD IT AND MOVED INTO A CO-OP APARTMENT IN BETHPAGE. MOM WAS PRETTY INDEPENDENT, NEVER ASKED FOR MUCH IN THE WAY OF HELP, BUT AS SHE AGED INTO HER UPPER 80’S IT BECAME INCREASINGLY APPARENT THAT SHE COULD NO LONGER LIVE ALONE IN HER APARTMENT AND THAT SHE NEEDED HELP WITH MAINTAINING HER FINANCES, PARICULARLY AFTER SHE STATED THAT, LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND DAD’S PENSION, SHE WAS GOING BROKE AND COULDN’T AFFORD TO LIVE IN HER APARTMENT ANYMORE, WHICH PUZZLED US. SHE TAPPED STEPHEN FOR THAT JOB AND TOLD HIM THAT I, GEORGE, SHOULDN’T TOUCH HER MONEY BECAUSE I WOULD LOSE IT ALL IN THE STOCK MARKET. STEVE EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HER THAT I WASN’T GOING TO PUT HER MONEY INTO PORK BELLY FUTURES AND THE TWO OF US STARTED GOING THROUGH ALL HER FINANCES WHICH WAS MOSTLY A GUARDED SECRET. WITHOUT GETTING INTO EVERYTHING WE DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD OVER 3 DOZEN BANK ACCOUNTS, MOSTLY CDs, SPREAD OVER 4 BANKS PLUS A SIZABLE STOCK PORTFOLIO THAT DAD HAD ACQUIRED FROM HIS EMPLOYEE PAYROLL STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN. OVER TIME WE DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD OTHER ASSETS AS WELL, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SAVINGS BONDS WORTH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS STUFFED IN VARIOUS PLACES IN THE APARTMENT. UNEXPLAINABLY, SHE ACTUALLY HAD METICULOUS NOTES, BUT SOMEHOW COULDN’T RELATE IT TO FUNDS THAT SHE COULD USE. REALIZING THAT SHE HAD THE FINANCIAL MEANS, WITH SOME CONVINCING AND PLANNING ON OUR PART, WE GOT HER MOVED TO THE BRISTAL ASSISTED LIVING IN MASSAPEQUA. IT WASN’T EASY AS WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL SHE GOT HOSPITALUIZED FOR SOMETHING AND THEN BRING HER TO CHRISTINE’S HOUSE AFTERWARD FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AS THE CO-OP SUDDENLY NEEDED WORK TO BE DONE. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT HER TO THE BRISTAL, A MUCH FANCIER PLACE THAN WHERE SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY LIVING, SHE LOOKED AROUND AND THEN IN A VERY FIRM VOICE STATED “THIS IS NOT MY CUP OF TEA”. GETTING HER SETTLED IN HER NEW DIGS REQUIRED THAT WE LISTEN TO HER TELLING US THAT SHE HAD BEEN “SHANGHIED” AND WANTED US TO GET A LAWYER. THAT SAID, IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR MOM TO SETTLE IN AND SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER RESIDENTS CLOSER TO HER AGE. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, AFTER ONE OF HER HOSPITALIZATION/REHAB STINTS WE COLLECTELY FELT THAT HER LEVEL OF ASSISTED CARE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED AT THE SUNRISE ASSISTEED LIVING FACILITY IN PLAINVIEW AND SHE TRANSITIONED TO HER NEW HOME. CHRISTINE WILL BE TOUCHING ON MOM’S LATER YEARS AS MOM’S DEMENTIA PROGRESSED, WHERE WE OFTEN DIDN’T KNOW WHEN WE VISTED IF WE WERE GOING TO SEE TEDDY BEAR OR GRIZZLY BEAR. I DO HAVE ONE STORY TO TELL. MOM WAS SHARING A ROOM WITH ANOTHER ELDERLY WOMAN AT THE HUNTINGTON HILLS REHABILATION CENTER. I RECEIVE A CALL ONE EARLY EVENING FROM THE STAFF. HELLO. YES, THIS IS GEORGE. OH REALLY? SHE DID WHAT? THE POLICE WERE CALLED? YES, I’LL BE RIGHT OVER! SEEMS MOM GOT UPSET AT HER ROOMMATE OVER SOME DISAGREEMENT WITH THE TV IN THE ROOM AND GRIZZLY BEAR GRABBED THE FOOT REST OFF HER WHEELCHAIR AND FLUNG IT AT HER. FORTUNTELY, SHE MISSED HER INTENDED TARGET, THE FOOT REST LANDING SQUARELY INTO THE LADY’S DINNER TRAY. THE TERRIFIED WOMAN CALLED HER FAMILY, WHO IN TURN, CALLED THE POLICE. WHEN I ARRIVED FORTY MINUTES LATER THINGS HAD CALMED DOWN WITH MOM SLEEPING IN HER WHEELCHAIR NEXT TO THE NURSE’S STATION. THE POLICE HAD LEFT, REALIZING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH A 92 Y/O WOMAN WHO HAD NO MEMORY ABOUT ANYTHING THAT TRANSPIRED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE STAFF MOVED MOM TO HER OWN ROOM. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK MY SISTER CHRISTINE FOR BEING THE ONE WHO WAS MOSTLY ON THE FRONT LINES DEALING WITH MOM IN HER FINAL YEARS ON A DAILY BASIS, STAYING ON TOP OF HER CARE AT THE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY AND HOSPITAL AND REHAB CENTERS WHEN SHE WAS THERE AS WELL. WE ARE ALL GLAD THAT SHE WAS WITH MOM WHEN SHE DREW HER LAST BREATH. SHE WILL NOW OFFER HER INSIGHT TO THAT PART OF MOM’S LIFE JOURNEY.

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Phyllis Faust posted a symbolic gesture

Thursday, August 18, 2022

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Timothy Cotter posted a symbolic gesture

Thursday, August 18, 2022

My memories of Martha Motschman by Phyllis (Cotter) Raymond. I first met Martha in kindergarten, in East Rockaway, at the Rhame Ave, Elementary school. We were both 4 years old. That started 92 years of friendship and now, having made it to age 96, I reflect on those treasured years. Many a morning, I walked past Main Street and took the path through the vacant lot to knock on Martha’s front door. Her homemaker mom and sister Louise always greeted me with a “Good Morning”. For many years, we traveled those several blocks to school together. Martha’s dad was our mailman. By eighth grade, I had moved to Lynbrook on Long Island, but on moving up to the new East Rockaway High School, I met up with my East Rockaway elementary school friends. Martha was a good athlete, and she made the basketball team. Martha and I were Girl Scouts. My special friend Warren and his best friend George were Boy Scout troop leaders. Martha and I attended the Saturday football games. There we would meet up with my special guy Warren. It was war time. One day, he had his best friend George with him. He was on leave from the Army and was in his Army uniform. That was the beginning of Martha’s and George’s longtime togetherness. The three of us graduated 1943, while George went off to war. Warren and I married 1945, while George and Martha married a couple of years later. When Bill, our first-born son arrived George and Martha were his God Parents. I can recall Martha’s house being built and George’s volunteer fire dept days. As the years went by, we shared many family barbeques, picnics and get togethers. Warren died at age 36, a heart operation did him in. Martha and George were always supportive in those times of trial and error. Later on in life, when both of us were widows, we went on several fun bus trips to many places. We continued to share our ups and downs well into our 90s. My memories of Martha Motschman by Phyllis (Cotter) Raymond. I first met Martha in kindergarten, in East Rockaway, at the Rhame Ave, Elementary school. We were both 4 years old. That started 92 years of friendship and now, having made it to age 96, I reflect on those treasured years. Many a morning, I walked past Main Street and took the path through the vacant lot to knock on Martha’s front door. Her homemaker mom and sister Louise always greeted me with a “Good Morning”. For many years, we traveled those several blocks to school together. Martha’s dad was our mailman. By eighth grade, I had moved to Lynbrook on Long Island, but on moving up to the new East Rockaway High School, I met up with my East Rockaway elementary school friends. Martha was a good athlete and she made the basketball team. Martha and I were Girl Scouts. My special friend Warren and his best friend George were Boy Scout troop leaders. Martha and I attended the Saturday football games. There we would meet up with my special guy Warren. It was war time. One day, he had his best friend George with him. He was on leave from the Army and was in his Army uniform. That was the beginning of Martha’s and George’s longtime togetherness. The three of us graduated 1943, while George went off to war. Warren and I married 1945, while George and Martha married a couple of years later. When Bill, our first-born son arrived George and Martha were his God Parents. I can recall Martha’s house being built and George’s volunteer fire dept days. As the years went by, we shared many family barbeques, picnics and get togethers. Warren died at age 36, a heart operation did him in. Martha and George were always supportive in those times of trial and error. Later on in life, when both of us were widows, we went on several fun bus trips to many places. We continued to shared our ups and downs well into our 90s.

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Lisa and Joseph Borella planted a tree in memory of Martha Motschmann

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

In memory of a beautiful, loving woman who made my days a little better. Join in honoring their life - plant a memorial tree

A Memorial Tree was planted for Martha Motschmann

Sunday, August 14, 2022

We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at William E Law Inc Join in honoring their life - plant a memorial tree

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The family of Martha A. Motschmann uploaded a photo

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Martha A. Motschmann

1926 - 2022

Plant a tree in memory of Martha

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