"Hot Stuff"
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Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.  Kathleen O'Malley McLaughlin was born June 27, 1932 in Glasgow, Scotland to Mary and Michael O'Malley. She passed away July 28, 2002 in Los Alamitos, California, with her daughters at her side. Of all the gifts she gave us over the years, the smile on her face as she crossed over was her greatest gift of all. Kathleen loved to travel. Before she arrived in the United States, she traveled all through her homeland. Once she relocated to the States, she passed through close to all but Alaska. August was vacation month as we were growing up, and the road trips were long, but she loved seeing her adopted country. She enjoyed her home life with her girls, playing tennis, going bowling and playing handball with them at the side of the house. She worked the hot dog day at school every Thursday and each Halloween she would dress up in her standard cowboy outfit - red felt hat and her silver plastic six shooter. When times changed, she found herself back in the workforce, where she made a new circle of friends. Next to travel, going to the movies was her favorite thing. She could always be called for a movie review, or if a movie title eluded you, or even who starred, she knew. It was a very rare occasion for one to see a movie before she did. Reading was another passion, along with her more recent hobby of making creative memory albums. Above all else, Kathleen loved her family. You are all very important to her and she always looked forward to the family get-togethers. Her daughters always knew they were loved, but once her grandchildren came into the picture, they had to move to the back seat. Her grandchildren were the lights of her life, and we're sure you've all been regaled with photos at one time or another. Kathleen leaves to cherish her memory, her loving daughters and her supporting sons-in-law, Kathleen Ann and Richard Esparza and Karen Mary and Edward Thomas; her devoted granddaughters, Cassidy Ann and Chelsea Kathleen Thomas and her devoted grandson Culla O'Malley Esparza. She also leaves to mourn her loss her sister Marry Kelly, her brother Anthony O'Malley, her "boy" John Kelly and a host of nieces nephews, great nieces and nephews, many 'adopted' daughters, family and friends. She will be dearly, dearly missed. Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Patrick and Michael O'Malley. We will always remember her for her loving ways. Her strength and courage as she fought this dreadful illness will always be nothing short of amazing to us. We pass along her favorite message to you: "Live life with love and laughter". A Rosary service will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2002, at 5:00 PM in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Leisure World-Seal Beach, where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, August 1, 2002 at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at the All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California. Kathleen was passionate in her support of St. Jude's Childrens Hospital, and it has jokingly been said that she practically built the whole hospital herself. Because of her wholehearted support of this wonderful charity, it is requested that anyone wishing to honor her memory do it in the form of a contribution to:   
Her daughters share this: "In keeping with Mom's great sense of Scottish humor, she asked that we share the following poem with you and hold true to the last four lines" Playing in the Graveyard The gravie's no the fearsome place that older folk would say, There, many a sunny afternoon we bairns would go and play. It's fu' o' people that were auld and just got tired o' living', They use it as a resting place before they go tae heaven, And children, so my mother says, (and I can well believe her), Who played besided a dirty drain and died o' scarlet fever, And wicked bairnes who misbehaved and disobeyed their mum, And consequently choked to death, from eatin chewing gum. There are stanes wi' lovely poems that wid nearly make ye greet, And some plots that are overgrown and some are nice and neat. So when the keeper's back is turned ye creep about wi' stealth, And dae yer best tae even up the graveyard's floral wealth. There are wreaths o' lovely summer flowers, where someone lies at rest Wi' bonnie little cards attached tae wish him a' the best. "Not dead but only sleeping" are the words that meet your eyes, And ye think that when he wakens up, he's in for a surprise. When through the gates a cortege comes and wends its dreary way Ye shed a tear because it seems the decent thing tae dae. So when ah'm auld and fade away "Just gone but not forgot", Wi'jam jars fu' o' daffies ye can decorate the plot. Don't write a mournful message for my final epitaph, Just think o' something funny that will gie the bairnes a laugh. |
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