Lena Corrigan

Our mother, Lena Louise Natale, was born March 11, 1930 in Baltimore, Maryland. She married Eugene Francis Corrigan on April 6, 1953. They had been married for 67 years, together for 72, when he died in 2020. She met up with him again on Monday, July 20, 2026. Their love was beautiful to witness.

Lena grew up on Chumleigh Road in Towson sandwiched between the inimitable Kathryn and the adorable Louis where her family owned the first colored TV on the block. Her mother, Josephine, was a scamp and a character with great style and wit; her father, Louis, came to this country as a 14-year-old immigrant with some skill as a tailor. He was a proud, quiet man who took the responsibility for his family seriously.

Lena, named after her maternal grandmother, Disolena Peduzzi, went to the all-girl Catholic high school, Notre Dame. Her five best friends called her Nate. One of them, Peggy, said to her, “You need to meet my brother, Gene. You two are perfect for each other.”

So they did.

And they were.

What is there to say?

Theirs was a rare love affair.

They never argued.

They were always united.

They loved to have fun.

They complimented each other - literally and figuratively.

She wanted six children; he wanted eight. She wanted to make a home and build a life; he wanted to build his career and make a living they’d be proud of. They were Catholic to the core.

Lena, who Geno called Birdie because of her skinny legs, was lively. They both were. Big personalities. Their marriage was happy and their life one reward after another. Discounting the time taken out for seven births she was as busy and productive as any stay at home woman of the 1950s and 60s.

In the 1970s and 80s she counseled legions of sports administrator’s spouses and because of her grace and style she was adored by them. She and Geno were teammates. They were a genuine example of remaining family-first while still being successful. And that is difficult - to succeed in life at a high level and raise a family who contribute to the good.

They did it.

She did it.

There were epic trips. To Ocean City, MD where Geno was once a lifeguard. We often joined friends who had six children or Geno’s brother George and his sister Peggy and their families. We found out there is nothing like the fun you can have with cousins as we watched our parents laugh until they were weak about their antics and ours. Then there was the cross country trip in 1968. Cheetohs were missed. Hail Marys were said. Rosa was invoked. Cars were backed into and crushed. Legends were made.

Once they had sent us all on our way, they found joy in our personal and professional accomplishments and were intrigued and delighted by us and all we set out to do. Birdie has five daughters in law who couldn’t believe their luck. She was everything you could ask for in a mother-in-law - supportive, never judgmental, a sage advisor with a passion for her family. She raised her sons to love their wives and because she and Geno were such models of a loving married couple, the lessons stuck. She was a dear friend and she accepted them as they were and celebrated their membership in this big, caring craziness we call family.

Our parents were not just the life of the party they were the home of the party and for many years hosted a New Years Eve celebration that was so much fun even their adult children’s friends made a point to attend. The highlight - at midnight, the New Year’s Baby arrived - a different friend every year Birdie had talked into the role. One year Ann Holland arrived in a fabulous black bathing suit, high heels, and a Miss America Sash. Another year, Bus Male wore nothing but a bonnet and a diaper. Breakfast was served at 3:00 am. There is also the matter of Patrick Ryan’s graduation from UVa’s Law School and a case of Cold Duck.

There were endless squabbles. No one denies that - but the larger wash is that we had a mother and father who loved us and let us know that through thought, word, and deed. They provided us with security and a kind of humble confidence - that is something to aspire to. And they raised us to love our family enough that we would go on to have families of our own.

And we do.

So we did.

Lena became Birdie and Geno became Papa Gene to everyone once they were grandparents. That was a transition made easy by the birth of Fred Wawner in 1973 - a solo spotlight he held for ten years. Louise and Scott went on to have Virginia and Clay. Kathy and Tony had Aaron, Lena - for her grandmother, and Maggie. David and Jean have Conor, Patrick and Jack. Kevin and Lis have Will, Sid, and Natale - Birdie’s maiden name. Brian and Kathy didn’t have children but are beloved as godparents and namesakes. Tim and Jac have Tierney, Jake, Tucker, and Quinlan. Boo and Kristen have Finley, Tre, aka Eugene III, and Brian - named for Brother Bri.

And then.

Fred married Dina and they have Bear, Ali, Fischer, and Rosey. Virginia and Lawton have Hugo. Clay and Maggie have Ennis, Doc, and Eddie. Lena and Sterling have Isaac and Miles plus Bodie, Mari, and Aaron - named after her sweet brother who did not live to see these shenanigans. Maggie has Dino and Emmy and is married to John also called Thor. Conor and Ciara have Savannah and Magnolia. Will and Julie have Soleil and Kit. Tierney and Andy have Scout. Coming up: Tucker and Bayley. Jack and Carys. Sid and Sophie. Natale and Mike. If you’re counting, that’s 62.

She will be missed by her first cousins Carol Jo Peduzzi Mills and Mary Lou Peduzzi, sister-in-law Pat Natale and Geno’s baby sister, Mary Corrigan D’Ambrogi; nieces and nephews, especially Debbie and Karen Ryan; friends near and far; and friends of her children who knew her to be warm and steadfast.

When we were poor, back on Bennington Road, Geno was a coach and there were five, six, then seven of us. There was never any complaining or feeling sorry for ourselves. Birdie, black-haired, pretty, and demanding, fixed us rice and milk and pasta fazool when Dad was out of town. She convinced us these were exotic foods and we thought we were rich. We felt rich. From 1954 when Lou was born through 1972 when Lou left for college, Birdie made dinner seven nights a week for somewhere between three and nine people.

And, man, could she cook.

Prudent and poised, hovering from stove to island and back again exacting and steady.

Her hands were slight her opinions were not. Taste in all things, drawn daily toward the

ritual of cooking leading to the ritual of eating, eye to eye over plates of tradition, effort,

flavor. She held some secrets, pacing about, wasting nothing, bringing to life, a pot, a

kitchen, a home. And still, a dish at Mamma Lou’s or Brother Bri’s, any of her seven

children, tastes familial, all of us watching or inheriting her ways. Years of babies,

years of marriage, years of constant work, what cascaded to all that came after was,

cooking, caring, eating, a nice table, dinner time.

She gave us the table, for eternity.

Mass for Lena Natale Corrigan will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas church on Alderman Road at 11:00 am on September 28, 2026. A reception follows at Vivace Italian restaurant on Ivy Road from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The women who held up Birdie and this family these last seven years are few but mighty: Dee Proffitt, PG’s nurse became Birdie’s confidant and companion; Case Green, is an energizer bunny and savant. Birdie loved the spirited and faithful Jessie Adams and Charmaine Minor, a reliable and bright light. Christella Cain and Shanice Maxey never faltered. Grazie mille to Lindsey Neal and Jude Christian who were a text away for medical advice and caring support. Louise and Kathy, who can measure what they gave out of love for their mother? And for their husbands, Scott and Tony, a parade is not too much.

In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to the Corrigan Family Foundation. We established this fund in our parents’ name to provide financial assistance for education at any level. Checks should be sent to: CFF, 4951 Lake Brook Drive, Suite100, Glen Allen, VA 23060. Teague Funeral Service is handling details and an online book for remembrances at dignitymemorial.com

In the meantime, we suggest you go out to dinner with family and friends and sing, give speeches, laugh too loud, make friends with the bartender and everyone around you. Then raise a glass to our girl, Lena - que faccia bella.