Tish Rees
A gentle, quiet, caring and cheerful man is how I remember Uncle Al. As a child, when my Uncle’s family, Aunt Jenny, Ken and Sue, joined the large clan McMahon for various outings and celebrations, he was the silent man working behind the scenes but his contributions and mark on these celebrations was always there......the orderly doling out of sandwiches at the beach, the ice for the large wash bucket that held the “tonic” (soda) at family clambakes, and later in life, the Kielbasa Festival sign that still makes me laugh:)
By far my fondest memory is of a trip to the mall that truly revealed his humor, intelligence and quick wit. We had been driving around looking for a parking spot for quite a bit when one opened up suddenly before us and he quickly pulled in. There was no time to see the car with its blinker on that had already “claimed” the spot from the other side. Knowing he had mistakenly gotten the spot but it being truly innocently done, we proceeded to exit the car though the other driver had not left the area. The woman in the other car began to yell her gripes over the spot being “stolen” and worse. Without a moments hesitation, Uncla Al looked over with a surprised look at her and said something very nicely in Polish. The woman turned to her husband in the car and said, “ Oh, it’s a dang foreigner!” A quick look to us kids and we knew to be quiet but after I hit the mall doors I laughed the whole time there. Uncle Al was not a man to pick a fight. He could stand his ground diplomatically, gently, so needed these days. He was a wonderful Uncle and an amazing example of the warmth and care of family. It is with great love and respect that I write of him today as I offer my condolences and support to my cousins and their families. All my love, Tish
Saturday December 23, 2017 at 9:46 am
