Madeline Sharkey letter of 1994 

Comments by Billy King August 2006

Written over a decade ago, this letter from Madeline Sharkey to my mother, Ann Hunt King, gives a lot of information about the clan.  You probably personally know a lot if not all the people in the letter.

One mistake is that neither my brother nor I were in the service.  I did meet Madeline when I visited New York and she is in one of the pictures I sent to you.

Nellie Murphy did marry my Uncle Martin Hunt and the short lady she mentions was probably my Aunt Kate Murphy who was very short.

My Aunt Bessie's daughter often spoke of her brother Cliff.  That is my cousin Dorothy Gallagher Keefe.  She is now suffering from memory loss and has some other health problems.  The next time that I visit her I will ask her about Cliff Sharkey.  Her short term memory fails her but she remembers many things from long ago.  The death of her oldest son was hard on her, but the death of her grandson a year ago was devastating.
 

▼  Click on any image of the handwritten letter to see the enlarged page   ▼.

 188 Bellevue Ave
Upper Montclair NJ 07043
August 22, 1995

Dear Ann,

You'll never believe who this is from, Madeline Sharkey, Delia's daughter.  I'm here with Celia Cleary since Tommy died, April 26th.  He had a massive heart attack on the 25th and Celia called me in the evening and I came down the next day but by the time I got to the hospital he was gone.  He had gone out to get the paper as he always did, came back, got the pain and they called the ambulance.  So thank God he wasn't suffering but as you know the shock was hard on Ceil, as T.G. they both had good health — he was on medication for high blood pressure — but she's a real Irishman — doesn't go that often to the Doctor — Tommy was always after her.

Anyway — I've been staying with her — I do go home now — like leave Tuesday and then come back Thursday — she has nice neighbors.  But Tommy did everything for her — so it is hard for her. At first I would take her up with me.

One day we were going thru papers and I found your Christmas letter and I took it to write you and would you believe it — I'm just getting around to it — and it's August!

Tommy had a real nice funeral.  Their Pastor here in Manasquan NJ — Fr. Parenti — his Mother was born in Castlebar — next town to Celia's.  Very nice person.  And of course many of their friends down here are gone — out of their group of 10 couples there were just two left — now Tommy is gone — so one couple left — and about 3 w2omen.  They played the Irish Blessing as they were bring his casket out of Church.  Cemete3ry nearby so we visit at Sea Girt, next town to Manasquan.

All my family was away at the time — but Vernon Brady and young Vernon came to the wake.  Frank Durkin and his wife live in Sea Girt, so they've been close to Ceil & Tom.  In fact Frank was a pall bearer, and Irene Durkin's husband was a pall bearer also.  Irene was Aunt Celia's youngest daughter, she lives about 25 miles up — Old  Bridge  NJ.      Barry's Marie Quinn also.

Celia had found a house for one of my friends (Ann) about 16 years ago and it's 3 blocks up from Celia's so we all went back there after the funeral.  Ann has a lovely home, so it was real nice.

Anyway, as I said Celia is great for 88. — Tommy was 86 — he would be 87 in Sept.  They would have been married 60 years in October, and she'll be 89 in Dec.

Ann — you won't believe that but I remember you from Auntie Quinn's — and the one thing I remember vividly was a lovely long sleeved blouse you had.  It was probably white satin and the sleeves were like accordion pleated. It was so pretty and so feminine.  Just lovely.

I also remember your son being at Auntie Quinn's during the war — maybe he was shipping out and had a couple days off in New York. Is he near you now?

Anyway, let me bring you up on things.  You know Mildred Brady died.  She was sick for a couple years — and Vernon was great.  He had a woman in who was very good and kind — cause she couldn't be left along — but he really did everything.  He's still at 64 Hauxhurst and the house looks great.  Jim Reilly is still next door (his wife died quite a while ago) but he has two children who are good to Dad.

Oh, Vernon has 3 grandsons.  Kevin his youngest son has the boys, so they keep him busy — unfortunately they live in Bridgewater NJ.  (I shouldn't say unfortunately — cause it's a real nice town) but it's a bit of a ride for Vernon.

May Morley, Ceil's sister is in a nursing home in NY and we try to call her every other week.  She sounds great — like her usual perky self, but the memory not good at all.

And you remember Cliff, my brother, who was near you all during the war when he was in the Navy in Chicago.  He  always had such good time there.  His wife died a while back (1981) and he remarried a gal who had no children, and she's very good to his children.  He had four, one girl and 3 boys — they are all married and he has 13 grandchildren.  He's most fortunate as his youngest son,  Jimmy, and his daughter, Marianne, live in Westfield NJ and Cliff, the oldest, and his brother Terry live in Fair Haven NJ.  Cliff lives in Pennsylvania but only about 1 hr 15 min from Montclair NJ.

Now who else can I tell you about.  Peg & Josephine Mullin are still alive.  I talk to Joe Foy, so hear abut them from him.  Joe Foy, Paddy Foy's son, Joe was pilot during the war — never married.  He lives in Roseland NJ about 1/2 hour from Montclair and he has a sister Eileen who lives near him — a widow.

Jim Murray, Uncle Paddy's son, is in L.I.  They were married 50 years this June.  Eleanor in a nursing home in Conn, near one of her sons, Jim said.  Vincent in upstate NY and of course Daniel, the oldest, died a long while ago.

Billy Durkin, Aunt Celia's oldest son died in Fla.  They had retired down there, and Peggy's husband Howie Miller died this year.  She still lives in Hoboken.  Has three sons — one son died last year.

I think I've brought you pretty well up-to-date — just hope you can decipher my "Chinese Writing" as Mother used to call it.  You know I didn't go to Catholic school — or I'd have that good Palmer method.  But I'm still going to church.

So do hope Ann that you are well and that some of your family around you.

Love,

Madeline

Just thought when I was to Ireland in 1962 — I met Nellie Hunt now that would be one of your sisters right?  Also met Celia's Mother then Aunt Margaret and Uncle Luke.  We had a great time.  We went back in 1976 — were Mildred and Vernon's two guides — they loved it and as you probably remember they made several trips after that — in fact — they rented a place one summer — and the boys and grand children went over to visit.  I think that was 1985.

Oh, I have 3 sisters, Veras who as married to Danny O'Connell, the baseball player — died at 40 of a hear attack — she had four children — 3 are married and the youngest son, John, still single  She lives in Bloomfield right near by.  Milly next is married to Walter O'Brien, they live down the road from me in Montclair.  They have seven children — all out of college, three married, one getting married in Nov but none live at home.  Joan my youngest sister, who was still at home with me when Mother was sick — is married to Gerald Carville, his parents from Ireland.  They live in Florida and she has three sons.  To that the story about us.

I was writing this in Manasquan sitting on Ceil's front porch this afternoon — so as I reread — the printing isn't too good but hope you can understand — leaning on a pad on my knee — not too good — and I know you don't mind the fancy stationery.

You take care and enjoy the rest of summer — it is going fast .

I drove home this afternoon about 4:15.  I come up Tuesdays as we do "meals on wheels" Wednesday a.m. and give Ceil a little break.

If you are up to it —I'd love to hear from you.

Love,

Madeline

Does Bessie's daughter — the one Cliff knew when he was there — still live in the Chicago area/

I had been carrying your letters to Celia (2/11/94 and 2/9/95) back and forth Manasquan to Montclair and as I said when I was writing yesterday I was at Ceil's and letters here in Montclair — so I'm glad I did mention Peg & Jo Mullins.

Danny and Marie Quinn have 3 children.  Their oldest Danny is a doctor in Wisconsin — he comes to Long Brach Island each summer with his wife and family (5 children oldest 18) and Marra & Danny go to Wisc. during the year.  Danny is great thanks be to God when you think what he went thru during the war — and he has one kidney.  They have 2 daughters, Kathy and Patricia.  Patricia married last year and she lives in Hoboken.

Oh I was thinking this morning — was Nellie Hunt your sister-in-law and we did meet your sister — I think — she was a little lady.  If I recall Nellie was your brother's wife — she was a bigger woman — and lots of fun.  She was fixing u (matchmaker) with one of my friends. Nellie said she needs a city man not a farmer and I can't remember the name of a gentleman who was home visiting at the time — so you know we had lots of laughs at Uncle Luke's house.

Honest, I'll stop now.

Take care,

Love,

Madeline

most recent revision:  30 August 2006

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