Uncle Moe

We said goodbye to our dear Uncle Moe today.  Uncle Moe was my great-grandmother's brother, my great-great-uncle.  That means he was my boys' great-great-great-uncle.  That's three greats!  Pretty impressive, huh?

I thought that, in honor of Uncle Moe, I'd share some of my favorite things about my Bubby's only brother.  So in no particular order...

Uncle Moe and Aunt Jo were married for 75 years.  That's right, folks, 75 years!  I never saw Aunt Jo without the necklace he gave her on their 50th anniversary.

Uncle Moe, a Jewish man, eloped with his Irish Catholic sweetheart, Jo.  How cool is that story?!

Uncle Moe introduced my Bubby and Poppa.  That alone makes him pretty important, if I do say so myself.

Uncle Moe could dance!  He took his lucky wife dancing all the time.  (Hint hint, Dan...)

Uncle Moe hated onions.  We had to have a separate bowl of stuffing, sans onions, at holiday dinners.  Oh, and Uncle Moe made the stuffing.

Uncle Moe made the best baked beans.  Seriously, the best.  I love them.  Nobody else's beans compare.  Sorry to those of you who've served me baked beans.  I don't mean to be rude, but now you know the truth.

Uncle Moe was the only one in the family who could rival Dan in height.  I think that's why Aunt Jo likes Dan so much (really, she tells me how handsome he is all the time!).  She's like me, she likes the tall boys too!

At age 98, Uncle Moe still had a very keen mind.  His body failed him, but his mind was strong.

My list could go on.  Uncle Moe was a fun guy, with a big smile, a big heart, and really big hands.  Sorry, growing up, I thought he was a giant.  A nice giant.

A funeral is a sad event.  While we know he's finally comfortable after years of physical pain, it is still hard to say goodbye to someone you love.  We are so blessed, though, to have Aunt Jo, who provided the comic relief we all needed...

The scene: Aunt Jo is looking at her husband, laying in the casket during the funeral.

Aunt Jo: "What's that on his head?"

Answer: "A yamaka."

Aunt Jo: "Why is he wearing that?"

Answer: "Because he's Jewish."

Aunt Jo: "No, he's not."

The conversation continued in much the same vein, until Aunt Jo was sufficiently convinced that Uncle Moe was, in fact, a Jew.  At which point she asked,

"Was he born that way?"

Answer: "Yes."

Aunt Jo, shocked: "And I married him?  Well, don't tell anybody!"

Poor Aunt Jo.  Somehow, word already got out.  Like, a long time ago...