Irene Molitoris

Irene was the loving daughter of the late Mary (Radek) and Michael Wilk, and the devoted daughter-in-law of the late Julia and Jacob Molitoris Sr. She was predeceased by her dear siblings and their spouses: John (Theresa), Stanley (Mary), Emily (Edward), and Helen (Clemens).

Irene married her husband Jacob Molitoris, Jr. on June 18, 1950, at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wallington, and they were married for 29 years until he passed away on December 11, 1979. Together they had six children. Irene is survived by her children: Robert Molitoris, Susan (Robert) Gomez, Diane (Michael) Ford, Kathleen Vanasse, her son-in-law John MacDonald, and her daughters-in-law Diane Molitoris and Katherine Molitoris. She mourned the loss of her dear son-in-law Thomas Vanasse in 2011, her beloved daughter Eileen MacDonald in 2019, and her cherished son Jacob Molitoris III in 2021. She was predeceased by her precious granddaughter Michelle Ford in 1995. Irene leaves behind 22 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, each one a special blessing to her. She will also be deeply missed by her Goddaughter, nieces and nephews, as well as loving friends and caregivers at Brookdale Assisted Living of Hillsborough.

Irene was a devout Catholic who carried on the traditions of her Polish immigrant parents, faithfully receiving the sacraments and supporting the church. She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows in Garfield until its closing, then joined St. Stan's in Garfield, the church she had attended as a young child with her parents and siblings. Irene and Jacob valued the importance of a Catholic education and provided such for all six of their children from kindergarten through 8th grade. Irene coordinated the school lunch program there and volunteered daily. In addition, she lovingly provided made-to-order Sunday breakfasts for Fr. Michael Guba for many years! Irene spent hours daily praying the Rosary, the Chaplets, and to the saints for special causes. Dear to her heart was the prayer to St. Gerard for his intercession whenever a new baby was on the way. At Brookdale, she also attended weekly Rosary sessions, and encouraged other residents to join the group and to receive the Eucharist at mass.

Irene also supported many charitable causes: St. Joseph's Indian School, at the request of her late husband, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to help fulfill Danny Thomas' dream, and Boys Town in Nebraska, inspired by the adage: "He ain't heavy... he's my brother."

Irene enjoyed reminiscing about her past and sharing stories about her childhood. She shared daily phone calls with her two sisters until they recently passed away. Irene fondly recalled the special blessing with holy water her mom would provide to the family before they got out of bed on Easter Monday. She described how her father kept an empty extra chair ready to welcome an unexpected guest. Her parents' example of perseverance during the Depression instilled in her the importance of faith, humility, and simplicity.

For many decades, Irene thrilled the family with wonderful meals, and spoiled them by making dozens of pierogis to be shared at every meatless Good Friday and Christmas Eve dinner. Her other specialties were stuffed cabbage, potato salad, chicken soup, macaroni and cheese, potato pancakes, egg sandwiches, and pea soup. She was happiest when serving others, and always wanted to be sure that everyone had enough to eat, no matter when you showed up at the door. Irene also shared her bread baking and pierogi making skills with her children and grandchildren. At every special occasion, the family looked forward to enjoying her cream cheese cookies filled with apricot, cherry, and lecvar, all arranged perfectly on a tray, which was wrapped in cellophane and tied with a beautiful bow. The candy dish at Grandma's house was never empty, even when it moved from Garfield to Brookdale!

Irene was an avid crossword puzzle fan, and also enjoyed other word games like the Daily Jumble, Word Cookies and Word Scapes. She knitted a scarf for everyone she knew and taught her children and grandchildren how to knit and crochet. She spent much time looking out her window, watching for her beloved robins and cardinals. Her prized possessions were things that had sentimental value alone.

When gifted an iPad not too many years ago, at first there was great reluctance to embrace the technology. With perseverance, Irene learned that it provided an amazing way to stay connected with her large family. Up until last week, she checked her messages and email every day, and followed all her loved ones on Instagram. She was filled with such joy when she looked at photos and videos of her cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Irene kept up with all the latest news and enjoyed having conversations about current events. She was easy to talk to and it was evident how much she cared, enough to humble you if necessary. She had an incredible memory. As the family matriarch, Irene delighted in hearing updates about each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild. She had a way of making each one feel unique and special, even if it was in the form of a playful slap on the cheek!

Irene was devoted to her family and it was important to her to remember every birthday and special occasion with a card and loving sentiment. She was proud of the collection of family photos that crowded each inch of her window ledge. Irene took every opportunity to tell people she met about how blessed she was to have such a large family. Her nickname may have been "I" for some, but she always embodied the "we". She truly united the family and her fervent wish was for everyone to get along. She modelled the unconditional love and forgiveness that was exemplified by Christ.

Irene always looked for God-grams, messages from those in Heaven sent as reminders of their presence. Now those of us she has left behind will be expecting a God-gram from her.

So mom, as you always said when we parted, "Please ring us when you get home!"