 |
| Adeline, Amelia, Caroline, & Jenny |
Caroline Gierko Aiken of Springfield passed away on Monday,
August 7. Although she suffered from dementia the last few years of her life,
she will rather be remembered for her boundless energy, the twinkle in her
eyes, upbeat enthusiasm, unyielding determination, limitless generosity, above perfect
attendance at St. Mary’s on Pleasant Street, unfailing honesty, hysterical
laughter to the point of tears (particularly in the company of her three
sisters), and unending kindness. She called herself “simple,” but for her
family and all who knew her, Caroline was a model of selflessness, integrity, and grace.
Born November 12, 1920, Caroline lived her entire life on
Valley Street in Springfield. She hosted family gatherings every Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and Easter (usually a minimum of 30 people) until she was 85. Asked
why she hosted these events for over half a century, she said, “I want the
cousins to know one another.” Asked why she stopped hosting at 85, she said, “I
guess I’ll let someone else do it for awhile.”
Caroline is survived by three children, David Aiken and wife
Edie, Howard Aiken and wife Jill, and Judy Robinson and husband Dave. She worked
at Springfield Local Telephone Company for 20 years. She is survived by seven
grandchildren, all of whom graduated from universities aided in part by
once-a-week hand-written letters from their grandmother. Asked why she wrote
these letters so regularly for so many years, she explained that she had left
home for a year to learn bookkeeping and secretarial skills at Bay Path College
when she was 18 and that nobody had written. She continued to take notes in
shorthand very nearly until her death. She is also survived by seven
great-grandchildren.
Caroline is survived by an immense extended family and many
friends. There is not a relative or friend without a story of how Caroline somehow
helped them, showed some sort of kindness at a time of need, or influenced
their lives in a positive way. Nieces and nephews will tell how she encouraged
them to follow their interests and dreams. Relatives will recall heaping
portions of food on visits (“No” was not an option) and a relentless loyalty to
family. Friends and neighbors will remember her charity and giving; Caroline
was a regular volunteer at polling stations in Springfield on voting day and,
post-retirement, was a regular visitor at Springfield Hospital to patients –
particularly the elderly – who had no visitors.
She was a fiery competitor – as friends (and opponents) at
the cribbage table at the Springfield Senior Center – will attest. She never
let anyone win (not even a grandchild), but somehow losing to her didn’t hurt
as much. She was a devout Catholic who never missed a church service and who
prayed for everyone she knew every night.
Caroline was pre-deceased by beloved husband Howard George
“Bunny” Aiken, veteran of WWII, who died in a plane crash in 1959. Caroline
carried her pilot’s license and loved to tell stories of flying. She never
remarried; why would she when she had already found her one and only? Asked how
she approached life after Bunny, she said, “Day by day, hour by hour, minute by
minute.”
She was pre-deceased by her parents, Frank and Helen Gierko,
who emigrated from Poland, sisters Adeline Benson (and husband Raymond), Jenny
Kane (and husband Jimmy), and Amelia Obuchowski (and husband John).
Caroline Aiken was humble, gentle, and unassuming. Although
she lived alone for much of her life, many of her siblings and relatives made a
tradition of coming to her house to visit every Sunday; she was surrounded by a
loving family that looked up to and admired her strength, fortitude, and
downright dogged determination. She impacted the lives of many, and she will be
remembered.
Special thanks to the group of in-home caregivers headed by Barbara
Kolodziej for their kindness and attention over the last several years.
There will be a memorial service and mass at St. Mary’s on Wednesday,
August 16 at 11AM. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to Springfield
Adult Day Program, 266 River Street, Springfield, Vermont 05156. www.Springfieldhospital.org/adult-day-program
No comments:
Post a Comment