Obituary of Lena F. Monaghan

On Thursday morning, June 11, 2015, Lena Frances (DiBartholomeo) Monaghan passed away in the intensive care unit of Einstein Montgomery, held and surrounded by her family. She loved telling those she met that she was in "her 95th year." Lena was born in 1920, in the same year and on the same Norristown block as her childhood sweetheart and lifelong companion, Joseph "Don" Monaghan. Don and Lena were married at Norristown's St. Patrick's church in the summer of 1941, two young twenty-somethings without a penny, but filled with love and hope. Needing to serve after his country entered the war, her beloved Don joined the Army, landing on Omaha Beach with forward observer crews at 6:10am on D-Day, and fighting through France, Germany and Czechoslovakia with the 2nd Division (Second to None!). While Don walked across Europe, Lena worked hard running the Armitage restaurant in Norristown, managed the small landscaping service that her father (Philip DiBartholomeo) provided, refused to go out in the evenings, and lived for the letters that he wrote her every day. When he came home after the war, Lena and Don continued their great adventure together, had kids, bought their first house, launched Dad's career with the Postal Service, worked hard, laughed, cried, took long walks on the beach in Avalon every year, moved to St. Francis parish in the West End, had another kid, launched us all, had grandchildren, and loved their life together. Don crossed the void into eternal life suddenly in December of 2008. Lena survived him with grace, dignity and great sadness, telling everyone she met how much she missed her Don. Her spirit now lives on in her three children (Joe, Trisha and Michael), her cherished daughters-in-law (Donna and Karen), the grandchildren who were the light of her life (Justin, Zachary, Kate and Dan), and her great-grandchildren (Justin and Jade). Lena's favorite song was Heart of My Heart, which she and Don sang to one another throughout their sixty-seven years of marriage. She remains the heart of her family's heart, the soul of their soul, the clear, quiet song that they will never forget. Lena's funeral liturgy will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 600 Hamilton Street in the West End of Norristown, Pa at 11:00 AM. A visiting hour and viewing will take place in the church from 10:00 – 11:00 AM. Entombment will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery, East Norriton, Pa 19401. Memorial contributions may be made in Lena's memory to: American Macular Degeneration Foundation https://www.macular.org/how-donate