Eulogy for Sara Cocco

Eulogy for Sara Cocco

October 26, 2016

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

     My mother had a difficult childhood that she only spoke about on rare occasions, but God had a plan.  He brought a teenager over from Italy who had nothing.  They fell in love, got married, and struggled to raise a family.  My father would always be trying to better our situation, which at times required mom to sign papers, putting the little we had up as collateral.  She always did this with complete trust in him.   God blessed this and things finally began to turn around for us about the time I was entering High School.  Dad always credited his success to Mom’s support.

     This new chapter in their lives allowed Mom’s generosity to emerge: from the presents that she would distribute to us from their many travels, to birthdays, Christmas, and even Halloween.  She loved Halloween.  It was required that the grandchildren be brought to the house for tricks and treats and that the family picture be taken in costume for next year’s calendar.  Mom had an “open bowl” policy when it came to candy so everyone who came to the door could pick out whatever and almost as much as they wanted.  This meant that she would have to buy a pretty good amount of candy...much more than my father thought reasonable.  So she would kind of squirrel away bags around the house and they would magically appear Halloween night.  A few weeks ago, Mom used my Father’s trip to New York as her opportunity to buy a hoard of chocolate for this year.  She left strict orders that Dad was not to know. So, in her memory my sisters, Linda and Lisa set up some of the candy in front of the church as Mom’s last trick or treat and as a tribute to her we ask that you take some on the way out.

     Mom loved the many places that they travelled to all over the world, but her real home away from home was only a few miles away.  It was Strawbridge’s.  Mom loved to shop the clearance racks and after season sales.  I remember about the time my wife, Donna and I were married Mom started the Dickens’s Village collection of porcelain houses for all of us. Beautiful pieces, we’d put them up around the house at Christmas…absolutely gorgeous.  Every year after Christmas, she bought out all the pieces she could at a discount, then we would get a phone call:

“Hello…it’s me…your mother…Listen. I just got back from Strawbridge’s and I got each of you kids the City Hall and the Victoria Station for the Dickens’s Village.  Now, they only had 3 wig shops left so I got you an apothecary because you’re a Pharmacist, but because it was cheaper than the wig shops, I bought you some extra townspeople, so you’re actually making out a little better on the deal.  When can you come over and get them?”  

After a while, the Dickens’s Village series ended and she wanted to start us on another collection, but by this time each of us had an attic full of Dickens. We told her it was enough.

     But that was all right because the grandchildren were here!  She especially liked buying for the girls. 

“Hello…it’s me…your mother…Listen, I just got back from Strawbridge’s and I bought Victoria some summer clothes.  They’re size 6s…don’t worry, she’ll grow into them. When can you come over to pick them up?”

Everyone at Strawbridge’s loved Mom. One lady who worked there would come into the Pharmacy and tell me what a wonderful person Mom was.  It even got to the point that if nobody had seen her for a week she would come in and ask if everything was ok. “Sure,” I would say, "Mom’s away on another trip.”

     Then, the sad day came that Strawbridge’s closed. All of Mom’s friends retired or found new jobs. Mom missed Strawbridge’s, but not to worry. Only three blocks up the street… was a Macy’s!

“Hello…it’s me…your mother…listen, I just got back from Macy’s. I found this gorgeous prom dress for Victoria…90% off. I know she’s only eleven…don’t worry, she’ll grow into it. When can you come over?”

     I, too, was on Mom’s “to buy for” list ever since she learned that I liked collecting Star Trek.   Every year she had an order of Christmas ornaments for me.  A few weeks ago she called.

“Hello…it’s me…your mother…listen, I’ve got your Star Trek 50^th year ornament. When can you come over?” 

I told her I could make it Friday and we talked about our granddaughter and her great granddaughter, Ava’s Baptism coming up and how excited she was to see her.

     Then, a day later, she fell.  A series of tragic events ensued which have now brought us all here together today.  As we leave and try to live on with the hole that has been left in our lives with her passing, let us comfort each other and not forget what our faith teaches; we have a Savior and He says to us, “There is a better world that waits for us. This is not the end. I am the Resurrection and the Life. I’ve won the victory. I have overcome the world and I will wipe every tear from your eyes because Death is dead!”

      One day, I will go and meet Jesus and He’ll say to me,”I’ve sent for someone to show you around heaven.” Then, I’ll turn to see a beautiful angel with a loving smile. She’ll come closer to me, reach out her hand and say,

“Hello…It’s me…your mother.”