Amen- Brothers & Sisters

07/19/2021

https://sheldonkukuchkafuneralhome.com/tribute/details/2810/Helen-Talarico/obituary.html?fbclid=IwAR3FgV5EF5xAWyYmT2f6iQKqRJdGSKpdKOFFbCBI06hEh6H_f2tlTZ7sV4s -start

Helen M. Talarico, 90, of Tunkhannock passed away July 12, 2021 at home surrounded by her family. She is survived by her husband of 71 years Anthony “Tony” Talarico. Born in Sherburne, NY on August 1, 1930 she was the daughter of the late Domit and Rose Saber Merhib. She and her husband managed ...

07/19/2021

Hello cousins- aunts- uncles. I felt like we needed a place to reminisce about nana. Posts made by this page are written by me- Elizabeth Davis- but anyone can post on here and anyone can scroll through and enjoy the pictures I got from everyone for her viewing. I’ll also put the euologies and obituary on here.

07/19/2021

Nana was a fighter up to the very last day- I hope to be as strong as you ❤️

07/19/2021

07/19/2021

Nana through the years

07/19/2021

Learning how to cook with nana- during my childhood my siblings and I would spend one week every summer in tunkhannock (to give my parents a break from having 3 kids in a 4-year span- put proposed to us a vacation) during my week nana and I spend a lot of time cooking- I thought it was to teach me how to cook- more realistically knowing nana this was business as usual to feed the family. But id like to share a few things I learned in my time cooking along side of her: the first being that nothing is perfect. She never measured anything- im not even sure she had a measuring cup. Teaching me to go off of taste and smell and texture- to keep adding until it’s the way you want it- which would always end up with me making too much sauce. Which leads me to the second lesson I learned cooking along side nana- that there is never too much pasta- if you make it they will eat it and to also make enough for strays. Whether on purpose or unbeknownst to her these lessons flowed into the family. That family is not perfect- not to try and be a certain way- to do what feels right to you- adding to it until it is the way you want it. Making the taste and the texture and the smells right. I can still smell the matriarchy cooking on thanksgiving a traditional American thanksgiving meal- manicotti. And I can still feel the strength radiating off of nana taking charge – collecting rent- call me and everyone else out on their bu****it. The texture of this family has been built on the women. There is a Mexican proverb I heard once on a criminal minds episode- the house is not built on the ground but on a woman. And our house is built on nana. Nana met pop pop picking beans in NY at 16- nana spent the next 71 years raising 4 kids- remodeling homes with pop pop- being an OG working mom as a seamstress. Never have I felt like there was anything I couldn’t do if I wanted. Nana gave that to us. Nana could sniff out ill intentions and fake people in a 30 mile radius. She was not here to coddle us- or make us feel special for just trying – she gave us strength to know we can do anything. Nana has always been ahead of her time- believing love is love and that women are unstoppable . nana was both a military wife and mother. And our strength comes from her- anything we are doing now- she has done once over- scared about having three kids under three- she comes down and helps reassure you- scared about having a lasting marriage- just live long enough and don’t give up. She was married for 71 years. I was scared to make it through my husbands deployments- pop pop deployed the day after their honeymoon- and was gone for almost a year. Nanas advice was to stay busy and know that itll eventually end (and when its over I will want a 7 month break from my husband so don’t take it for granted.) That if I didn’t like this lifestyle to change it.to add to it until life was what I wanted. And lastly there can never be too much pasta- while I believe that is both a literal fact we will talk about it as part of this metaphor. I think that this lesson was less about dinner and more about life- there is always enough to go around- her cup runith over. That while nana wasn’t a fan of public displays of affection there was always enough time/money/attention to go around. We never had to run our guest this through nana- boyfriends, college roommates – coworkers. Nana never turned anyone away. And she dedicated her life to developing and getting people homes. Along side her husband she built a convent for the sisters- and a home to help family struggling with autism. Her home and her table were always open and up until the day she died her home and her table were full- full of people that loved her and were loved by her. This family that nana and pop pop have built- isn’t perfect but it was a little more delicious when nana was here with us- it doesn’t taste the same- it has a different flavor. But nana would say that no family is perfect but to make the most of this delicious family we have. Nana would tell me to stop being selfish- that she is at peace now and that life is for the living. To stop complaining and eat the sauce. Sometimes I wonder if I said thank you enough- or told her enough how much she meant to me – that she has changed me for the better both in the way I cook and in the way I live.