To the Editor:

My Mother, Gladys McLaughlin, passed away on April 4th, 2015, just one week shy of her 78th birthday. On behalf of my father, Denny McLaughlin, my two sisters (Elizabeth and Michele) and myself, I would like to extend our gratitude to the people living in the town of Newtown.

My mother was a member of the Women’s Club and also enjoyed volunteering at the library. My dad remains active in the Lion’s.  We were deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support through my mother’s illness, as well as at her time of death.

My mom had her own take on life, scientific in approach, on all matters.  At the wake and funeral services, people had brought up that they enjoyed her sense of humor, as well as her generosity. That has meant a lot to us.

An example of my mom’s dry humor may be found in an email she sent me a while back.  I had inadvertently left a sweater at my parents’ house, which I had told her not to worry about.  She took that as a scientific challenge.  This is what she wrote:

 Rosalie:

I washed that sweater you said needed cold water and it had to lay flat.  I used cold water, did not wring it, and laid it on two bath towels to let it lay flat and dry.

Changed the towels every 4 hrs.  It took 2 and 1/2 days to dry.

If it has shrunk, I will get you a new sweater.  It just is not worth the effort to wash it again.

I do not think you can handle washing this garment in your apartment.

I still love you, but I don't care for the sweater.

Mom

  Thank you, to all, for sharing your experiences, stories and memories.  Those are treasures to us, that helps us to move forward, especially when it seems otherwise difficult to do so.

Sincerely,

Rosalie (McLaughlin) DiLiberto

Forest Hills, NY          April 15, 2015