Margaret Ann Konkol

There is a poem titled ‘THE DASH’ which speaks about the dash between a person’s birth date and the date of their death.

Mrs. Margaret Ann Konkol, 96, of Fayetteville, NC passed away on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

Born on July 21, 1924 in Worcester, MA to the late George and Ethel McIssac.

She was also preceded in death by her husband Charles W Konkol ; a daughter Theresea Seaver-Worcester, MA, ; a grandson Sean Madden, of her siblings Katherine Delorey - Lake Tahoe NV, John McIsaac - Kansas City MO, Leo McIssac - St Joseph MI, Mary Blake - Shrewsbury MA, and  Rita McIsaac - Springfield MA

She is survived by her children:  Kathleen Delorey spouse Daniel Delorey, of Lake Tahoe NV, Alice Konkol-Wilbur spouse Francis Wilbur of Raeford NC, Joseph Konkol of Worcester, MA, and Karl Konkol of Worcester MA; son-in-law:  Edward Seaver of Worcester, MA ; grandchildren: William Delorey of San Diego CA, Michael Madden of Worcester MA, Heather Boucher spouse Robert Boucher of Leominster, MA, Julie Ann Katz spouse Alfred Katz of Schenectady NY, Stephanie Paul spouse William Paul of Grass Lakes MI, Sean Konkol of Amherst, MA and Paul Konkol of Northbridge, MA great-grandchildren; Riley, Brody and Rory, Tyler, Dustin, Emily, Lyla Konkol, and Mason Konkol .

She spent many years taking care of her home and raising her own children but fostered many other children who needed a temporary shelter while waiting to return to either their own homes or going to new adoptive homes.

While we were growing up Mom was always home when we returned from school and there was always a snack or two waiting for us. When our sister, Terry, died leaving two children, Mom stepped in and became a second mother to both of them. There were always people coming and going in our home and, if someone needed a place to stay, Mom and Dad always invited them in for as long as they needed. We spent most of our summers at local swimming ponds with picnic lunches and lots of swimming. And swimming was one of mom’s favorite things to do, often leaving us to play on the beach while she swam with a lifeguard or two.

She and Dad worked closely with our local parish encouraging us to be involved as well, and for many years after we were gone, Mom worked on the Bingo committee at her parish.

After Charlie died, for the first time, she went to work outside the home at a local bank where she made some new friends who encouraged her to explore her artistic talents in painting classes. She enjoyed spending time with her sisters, but especially with Midgie, who encouraged her to volunteer at the VA Center in Worcester where she spent many hours working with veterans who needed assistance.

Many an evening you would find her knitting new winter mittens, hats and sweaters for all the of her relatives. Many of us still wear them. When she wasn’t knitting or doing things around the house, you would find her bowling with Midgie and her team at the local candlestick bowling alley. When she told her great grandchildren about her bowling, they weren’t convinced that Nana could possibly bowl. So, she demonstrated her bowling finesse on the Wii that they had. Needless to say, they never challenged her again.

After 90 years in Massachusetts, she decided to move away from the ice and snow and relocated to North Carolina to live with her daughter, Alice, who cared for her over the next 6 years. During this time, until the pandemic hit, she spent several days a week at a senior day care center where she participated in many activities and made more new friends. When she wasn’t at the center, she spent many more hours knitting items for her family and new friends at the Center. During the warm weather, she loved sitting in the sun out on the porch watching the birds flit around and reading her favorite books.

She was quick witted and, as many New Englanders, she had an indomitable spirit to always live life her way and on her terms. Never saying good-bye, but always a see you later.

The dash in her life was longer than most people’s and she filled it with family, friends and, from the pictures we were able to collect, much eating.

Services will be held with a mass at Christ the King Church with burial at St Johns Cemetery to be arranged in the fall of 2021.

Online condolences maybe expressed at www.sullivanshighland.com

Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Serviced & Crematory, of Fayetteville.

THE DASH

the poem by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile… remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

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