| First, on behalf of my Mom and our entire family, I’d like to thank everyone for such a wonderful show of love and support. It’s been a somewhat unexpected couple of days, but for your telephone calls, visits, stories about my Dad, and most importantly your prayers, we are very grateful. Secondly, We’d like to thank Father Joe and the parish of St Elizabeth’s for hosting us today. My Dad always said that he wanted a celebration when he died, so I’ll attempt to share with you some of our memories. Now Maura and I don’t remember too many of these from his Jersey City days, but we’re sure that many of you here with us today have lots of stories to tell. To my Dad, Jersey City – and the people who came from it – were THE BEST. He certainly realized that again last year as he was involved with planning his 50th high school reunion from St. Michael’s . He really loved doing that, and true to form, he and the group continued to celebrate after the official events were long over. We hope they continue to do so, and also that you toast our Dad from time to time. Maybe Jersey City is where he picked up his habit of, -- as our Mom POLITELY calls it, EMBELLISHING his stories. He loved to tell a tale, some times OVER and over again, to those of us who heard them at every special occasion. He was never lacking for a “REMEMBER WHEN” or a “WHEN-I-WAS-YOUR-AGE” story. We thought we had heard enough of his gutter crew days when he was sweeping the streets during the summer here at the Shore, or how he swept our Mother off her feet from her ill-planned beach party, OR, how he told someone who got on his BAD side “exactly where to go” -----and this wasn’t a nice place. BUT, if you were his friend, he’d go miles for you, and fortunately, that was returned to him in SO VERY many ways. His friendships were one thing, but his family was entirely on another level. There were never so passionate kisses as when he came home on a Friday night after a tough week of commuting TO and FROM north Jersey or the Bronx, when he and my Mom would kiss (and of course Maura and I would be grossed out when we were young), but NOW, we know what that means. If all of us could have such love, the world would be so much better. He wasn’t much of a worrier, as we ALL know, --EXCEPT—when it came to Maura. When my sister went off to college, he developed a worry-related skin condition, as he was so concerned about her. He was (and IS) so very proud of Maura, and also proud of her husband Peter, and of course, his grandchildren, JEFF and ANNA. Whether it was a dance recital of Anna’s, or one of Jeff’s soccer games, he was always a willing audience or fan, and he always loved going to the beach with them, to try to teach them how to body surf. Jeff and Anna also got the last practical joke on “PA” -- on his birthday in JUNE, they successfully pulled off the “WHOOPEE CUSION” maneuver on him, and none of us laughed as hard as he did. It was somewhat odd seeing him on the beach in his retirement, because he was always so tan when August rolled around…………he was NEVER that “bronze” when he was younger, AND, he was really enjoying his post-business career of relaxing. I remember one time when he and I were canoeing on the Manasquan River, if you can believe that, ---- and we were talking , --about my job prospects as I was about to enter my SENIOR year in college. He told me that I could be ANYTHING that I wanted to be. Now, I continue to test that, QUITE a lot, but it is certainly helpful that my Dad has always believed in me, and that his love NEVER wavered. He was steadfast in his love for US, ….for his BROTHERS…and his sisters-in-law, and his MANY nieces, nephews, and now their kids too. It’s funny, that each of his nieces on the Maliff side, each believes that SHE, …ALONE… is his favorite. And, he did nothing to “dissuade” them from that belief. But, MOST of all, he had a devoted love to two women – our MOM of course, and also to the Virgin Mother. Although he like to pretend he was some sort of tough guy (in the image of his screen-hero, John Wayne), I will most remember my father in his quiet times….when he was praying the Rosary. He had such a thorough belief in a kind and loving God who knew our needs, especially through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, that we’re sure he was welcomed with open arms, by all his friends and family who are in God’s presence before us, especially his parents and our Aunt Helen. That although the past ten weeks have been tough on him, the many, MANY, prayers offered in his name helped him through these tough times. So, all we have to say to the angels in Heaven is: “RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAMS. There is a very good man amongst you now.” |
| '52 News What's New What's Needed |
| Resources Jersey Journal Sisters of Charity |
| Class of '52 Addresses Message Center Memorial Pictures |
| Rob Maliff delivered this eulogy for his father at Saint Elizabeth Church in Avon, October 11, 2003. |