Memories of shared laughter,tears. A friendship of 50 years. Taken for granted we would always be there for each other. Experiencing the loss - an emptiness - disbelief - sadness - a deep longing to awake from a dream. This can't be real. Yet knowing it is,a prayer you are at peace. Dear Colleen, I miss hearing your voice, I miss your letters. Most of all, I miss the energy of such a vibrant you, totally unlike anyone else!

My deepest sympathy to all those she loved especially her daughters, Deborah & Vanessa, her "Just My Bill", and all her relatives and friends.

To Ethel's family: What wonderful memories Ethel & I made in high school! Some of the best times were just after HS, though, when we'd bus to NYC to take dance lessons at the June Taylor school. We felt so professional! I'm glad she got to dance professionally, she loved it so. At our 50th HS reunion we spent lots of time together catching up, & she shared photos of her beautiful, beloved children. Everyone will miss her kindness and joyful heart. God Bless you all. May your memories sustain you until you meet again....

Mommy,

This would be the moment when your knowing voice would ring out in total understanding the kind of laughter that says you are on top it all followed by your words that would describe it all so succintly. It gives me such comfort to know you "get it" and that your right on top it and your with me. My strenght comes from you right now and knowing you and I are on the same page. Love you.

Our song Mommy:

Is everything alright
I just called to say
How lost I feel without you
Miles away
I really can't believe I'm near
And how I still care about you
Hearts can break
And never mend together
Love can fade away
Hearts can cry
When love won't stay forever
Hearts can be that way
Is everything the same
Do you ever think of me
And how we loved one another
Will you change your mind
Will you want me back again
Or have you found yourself a new love
Hearts can break
And never mend together
Love can fade away
Hearts can cry
When love won't stay forever
Hearts can be that way
Is everything Ok
I just thought I'd write a song
To tell the world how I miss you
'Cos each and every day
I think of all the words I never said And all the chances that I had to
Hearts can break
And never mend together
Love can fade away
Hearts can cry
When love won't stay forever
Hearts can be that way
Hearts can be that way
Hearts can be
Is everything alright

Mommy,

Audrey came to you today. I prayed for you both to find each other. Bill was so strong and did the right thing. We love and miss you.

Deb

Mommy,

I think Audrey wants to be with you. I think she made that decision the day you passed. I think her mind and soul are already with you. Please guide Bill. I called you today to hear your voice and to leave you a long long message just like you used to do on my machine. I took the flowers off my porch today. It was gripping to do and I had to otherwise I'd never let go. They are on the lawn outside the apartment now and I am brining them to a beautiful place to leave them in nature. I took a few flowers from each arrangement and placed them in vases around my house. The three white roses and one purple from me and Vanessa I will wrap and keep in my memory box forever. I ache for you. So long for now.

I cried again.
Your kitty Audrey may be joining you...she is ill. This breaks my soul in half. I call your house so I can hear your voice on the machine telling me you'll call me back if I leave a message.

Bye Mommy

If you thought Aunt EA was a good artist here... You should see her now! Heaven has much better art supplies than glitter and paint!

And as I just wrote this, I got the chills! ... Maybe your Mom is agreeing!!

It was so good and so sad to see you guys yesterday. I / we all want so much for your hearts to heal and completely know how happy your Mom is now! Especially because she is with God! and of course our adorable little Ethel and Jimmy!!!! They are sooo happy!
We might be so sad here, but everyone is Heaven is dancing! kisses and hugs to you both Deborah and Vanessa! and Please Thank Bill for his incredible generosity!!!! God Bless You!!

The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live. --Ayn Rand

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. ~Emily Dickinson

Miss you and love you Colleen,
Dan

You beat us all
To nirvana you called
This quaint wise woman of love

Who lived for living
Loving the moment,
The present,
The day,
The 2 daughters beside her
The friends who swayed and played
In the now she walked her walk
Through wisdom she talked her talk
And shot out into the world
A creation wild and bright like Blake's tiger
Burning bright in the forest of the night

God Bless Ethel Anne and the entire family during this very difficult time.
May you find comfort in the love and memories that you shared.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
May she rest in peace.

I am so, so very sad. Colleen was an AMAZING woman, so ahead of her time, so young, so vibrant. She meant a lot to me - always a kind word, always a smile, so much wisdom and grace. I know that she will always be with me and that I will meet her again. I am very sorry for your loss, Vanessa and Deborah, and for all of our loss. She will be missed by me, my husband Mike and our kids, Dan and Abigail.

My dearest Vanessa & Deborah,
I know you are so sad and i am so sad for the two of you. They say things happen for a reason and the only reason I can think of is that we have been blessed to have had your mom in our lives. i remember when I was around 8 years old and your Mom dressed me up at her vanity table with her pearls and lipstick and a fancy scarf!! She was such a glamour girl, she was so beautiful and loving!
We will see her in heaven, she gets to do whatever she wants now (says Kiely).
Kiely says that she is the song bird that sings to you every morning! xoxoxoxoXOXOXO

I am making sure that you are celebrated Mommy! We will come together in your honor and remember you for the love you always gave, all you ever wanted was to love and be loved. You loved hard. You were a Mother first and always. I wish you could have been a Grandmother.
Please kiss and hug Ethel and Jimmy for me. Anne too! Peter! Tell Dawn I love her and hold Take-Me and Sissy in your arms, you are now with them and Purrrfect!!! You are free you are surrounded by the ones who you never got over losing! Please watch over me and know that I will always try to make you proud of me.
I love you more than I can express..

"Hey, whats that place?"
I hope your eating a White Castle cheeseburger and having an orange soda!

Love,
Vanessa, Varnish, Varnishka, Bubbala,

Mommy,

I love you.....I miss you.....I feel you all around me. I can't get that song out of my head that we used to sing when I was in 8th grade and I went to LBI, I called you and told you the song was in my head & you told me that was because you had been playing the record over and over. The verse sticks in my head and if I knew then that this song would haunt me now.....

I look at myself and see your eyes, my hands look ike yours, my cheek bones are you. I have so much of you in me but I still feel so empty and lost. My heart aches. My beautiful red headed Mommy who everyone always loved! I will always talk to you. Always. You now reside in my soul.Forever.
Mommy, Ma, Maw, Maoooo..... Don't take me to Pathmark!!! You'll be verry embarrassed!!!! We laughed so hard! We have been through so much together, countless good and bad times. They are realing through my mind...

Cont....

Mom,

From the start it was you and me. My love for you has no end. Words cannot express my love for you. My thanks to you for All that you were, all that you did for me. Every good thing that exists inside of me is becasue of you and your love. We will always have each other. We belong to each other. You never liked the words goodbye. Whenever we were hanging up on the phone or leaving each other's company and I would forget and say the words "goodbye" you would say, "no, not goodbye, so long for now." Mommy, So Long For Now. Never goodbye. You are my one and only. Your beautiful face and voice permeates my soul. May God Bless and Keep You, my precious beautiful Mother.

Your Daughter,
Deborah

Vanessa, Im so sorry for your loss. My thoughts, prayers and heart is with you and your family.

Kellie

Dear Vanessa, Deborah & Bill,
Colleen (Ethel Anne) -- your beloved mother, your true love...

The loss you have suffered is so great. I sat and read the letters that Colleen and I had exchanged in the past, and I am reminded of just how special she really was. There is no other like her. She treated me like a third daughter. I can only imagine the intense love that she had for her own daughters. I only wish that I had an ounce of the passion, the poise and the elegance that she would exude in her presence alone. Every word she spoke or wrote was always with such inspiration, grace and eloquence. More importantly, I was always left with the wisdom of a remarkable woman's life experiences to learn from. I will cherish those letters and memories. I love her dearly and will always have a special place for her in my heart.

Ever,
Kristen

Dear Vanessa and Deborah, Your Mother, my Aunt Ethel Ann AKA Colleen - will always hold a special place in my heart. She loved you both and her 5 sisters more than you can imagine. She was an ituitive, artistic, deeply intense soul who showed me how to think out of the box and understand that it is ok to embrace deep thoughts. She was so beautiful and passed so much of that on to you both. Please know that she is at peace now with all the Galligan, Murphy's and all who will be with her and for all of us. I love you, cousin Sharon xoxo

Vanessa:
We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones. May your Mother rest in peace.

Dear Vanessa: My prayers are with you and your family. I am so sorry for your loss. May your Mother rest in peace.

Colleen,
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting you, I am grateful to you for raising such a beautiful, loving,adoring,smart and independent daughter. I have been blessed by having Vanessa in my life and I am grateful for her friendship. God bless you Colleen, you are loved and will be sorely missed.

Mom,
You were a vibrant, dynamic and electric woman with a very loving heart and beautiful soul. You will be missed dearly and adoringly loved. You are in my heart and thoughts forever.
Love you...