Elizabeth Mary Bruckner

Our mother, Elizabeth Mary O’Connor Bruckner, was born on the feast day of the Assumption August 15, 1923. Mom died on the feast of the Transfiguration, August 6th, 2011. First and most important of all, she was a mother to her five children and devoted to our father, Robert Joseph Bruckner (Bob). Our father died on October 16th, 1998. His ashes were placed in my mother’s coffin. Betty waited for Bob until the end of WW II. They were married on September 7th, 1946 at Blessed Sacrament Church in the Bronx, New York. Both made their First Holy Communion and Confirmation at Blessed Sacrament, met and were married there. Mom is survived her five children: Robert John Bruckner (wife Pamela) of Boynton Beach, FL; Maureen Elizabeth Bruckner Davis (husband Larry) of Austin TX; John Francis Bruckner (wife Carmen) of Middletown, NY; James Joseph Bruckner (wife Stacie) of Hendersonville, NC; and Christopher Gerard Bruckner (wife Noreen) of Massapequa Park, NY; 10 grandchildren: Jonathan Robert De Angelo, Amy Carlen Bruckner, Shannon Marie Albanese, Rebecca Mary Waters (Becca), Christine Ann McCartney, Michael Robert Bruckner (Mike), Matthew Gerard Bruckner (Matt), Danielle Nannette Fly, Kevin Christopher Bruckner, Kaitlin Eileen Bruckner (Katie); and 5 great-grandchildren: Madison Rose Albanese (7), Kaitlyn Marie Albanese (4), Greydan Matthew Bruckner (3), Chase Michael Bruckner (1), and Penelope Mary Waters (Penny) (7 months). She is also survived by her only sister, Margaret Aquino (Aunt Marge). She was preceded in death by her parents Elizabeth Mary O’Connell (County Limerick, Ireland) and Maurice Joseph O’Connor (New York), her brothers, John Patrick O’Connor and the Reverend Maurice Joseph O’Connor, her brother-in-law, Vincent Aquino, her sister-in-law, Margaret O’Connor, one nephew Timothy John O’Connor, and one grandchild, Elena Marie Bruckner.

Our mother, Betty, had great faith. We know this beginning with stories she told us of her growing up, both joyous and sorrowful. We grew up surrounded by love. Our mother took care of us and provided for our needs daily. We grew up in Blessed Sacrament Church and frequently visited with the Knights of Columbus. My earliest memories are playing the juke box in the restaurant we frequented for pizza with the other Knights families. Betty even attended some of the functions of the Knights of Columbus with Larry and Maureen at St. Theresa’s in Austin before she had to go into the nursing home. We remember the Communion Breakfasts in the Bronx when we were growing up and the processions on the feast of Corpus Christi. Our parents left the Bronx in 1971 and moved to Highland Lakes, New Jersey. They made many friends there. We visited them almost every week-end with our children. Some of their church friends followed them from the Bronx, and they all attended Our Lady of Fatima Church in Highland Lakes. My parents Mom and Dad moved to Delray Beach, Florida in 1986 after our father suffered a heart attack in 1985. Bob was predicted to live three months more, but he lived another 13 years. Our parents were Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion, volunteers in Delray Community Hospital (getting their 10 year pins) and served coffee and donuts after Mass every Sunday at Emmanuel Catholic Church. They made many beloved friends at Emmanuel. Our parents continued to be active in the Knights and helped coordinate the St. Patrick’s Day dance, Halloween Costume Dance and New Year’s Eve Dance at Emmanuel. Betty was an active member of the Ladies Guild at Emmanuel, became a Eucharistic minister to the sick and visited nursing homes every week.

In 2004, Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Over the years she and Dad frequently visited us in Austin and we visited them in Florida. They were here in Austin almost every Thanksgiving and listened to the choir practice a few times at our home. Mom and Dad also came at Christmas and I remember a memorable Christmas at Jean and Roger Miller’s home with them. After 2005, Betty was in a few personal care homes for Alzheimer’s patients and then finally transferred in 2007 to Windsor Duval Nursing Home. She was very blessed with the ability to attend Mass every week at the nursing home, escorted by the many volunteers from St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. Betty was able to receive Communion and many times received the sacrament of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick. Many of the priests, deacons and lay ministers at St. Theresa ministered to Betty since she came to Austin. She was helped by “Angel Heart” hospice for a few years, supporting her with visits and prayers. When mom first came to Austin she volunteered making Thanksgiving baskets and doing odd jobs as needed.

Donations in memory of our mom, Betty: Her youngest great-granddaughter, Penelope Mary Waters (Penny) is 7 months old and was born with a congenital heart defect. Her first surgery was at 10 days old on the feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, 2011. Penny has an artificial pulmonary artery. Her next open-heart surgery to fix the defect “Tetralogy of Fallot” will be within the next few days. Penny will have more surgeries as she grows to make the pulmonary artery larger. Betty’s granddaughter, Becca, and son-in-law, Sean did the first ever congenital defect heart walk in Austin this year. We request that any donations be made for research to The Children’s Heart Foundation at the following address:

http://www.childrensheartfoundation.org/

Love and God bless all!