Obituary of Monica W. Shimo

Monica W. Shimo of Stow, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 23, 2018, transitioning to heaven to be with her husband Joe, who died three years earlier.  Monica lived a life full of love for 73 years, and was born September 06, 1945, in Pittsburgh, PA.

Monica loved her family and was a wonderful wife, mother, and Grams (grandmother).  She was vibrant, full of life, always active, and always cared.  Later, after her husband died and her grandchildren grew older, she had a difficult time with less to do.  She was happy to be devoted to her family and they adored her for her love. 

Monica earned her post secondary education in business, and years later obtained her real estate degree.  She wanted to be a meterologist in her later life and was always interested in the weather.  Monica worked first in the insurance industry in Pittsburgh, then married and had children.  She then worked in the commercial real estate industry, mainly as an executive assistant in Columbus, an office manager in Baton Rouge, LA, and then later in life, to keep busy, part-time in the gardening and clothing retail world.  Monica liked working and her managers and coworkers always complimented her by saying she did a superior job, no matter the task at hand.  She would balance the family checkbook in her head.  She had a strong faith and was a parishioner of Catholic churches wherever she lived.  Monica kept a meticulouly clean and neat home, as she was proud to do so for her family, as well as cooking to keep everyone well nourished.  She was totally organized, on time, and always kept on top of things.  She knew what, where, when, and how.  Holidays were joyous for her and brought cherished family traditions time, including the same meal every year for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.  She made things well, not just food, everything else, too.  She had a passion and zest for life.  Along with her husband, she found and created great joy by taking care of their grandchildren during the weekdays from the time they were born until months after Joe died.  She loved to sing them lullibies, patticake patticake, play cars, house and animals, and all the fun things grandmothers do.  If she was away from her grandchildren for more than a day or two, she became restless and would visit to see them.

Joe and Monica loved to go to the beach.  They would spend precious time together, walk on the beach, watch and listen to the waves, play cards and enjoy the company of one another, without the hustle and bustle of daily life.  Monica loved to walk the beach at sunrise, being such a peaceful, hopeful, joyous time . . . the dawn of a new, wonderful day. 

After her husband Joe died, the love of her life, she had a very difficult time moving on.  We didn’t think Dad could have lived without Mom, but soon learned that Monica couldn’t live without Joe - such inspiring true love.  She fell into a sadness after the shock of her husband’s death wore off and tried to move on as best she could, she tried . . . she really did . . . but a very large part of her died when he died.  Occasionally, we would still see the sparkle of joy in her eyes that we once knew, but it faded quickly.  It had started to come back more often before she died.  Monica wanted to live to see her grandchildren grow up and get married, start their adult life.  She commented how much she loved hearing the voices and sounds of her children and grandchildren and how being near them meant so much to her, but alas, God had different plans.  She said “Don’t be sad when I die, for I have lived. I will be with my husband in heaven, together and happy again."   Like her husband, she was happy to have had such a fullfilling life, full of love and happiness she knew and felt.

Monica left a letter to be read after her death, so that people could really know her, it states:

                “Dear Joseph and Kimberly: 

                When my days on this earth are over, and I go to Heaven to be with God, please at my memorial service say the following things, so people who think they know me, really didn’t know me at all.

Tell them I was a good, kind, loving person who would help a stranger if the need arose. 

Tell them how much I loved my family, especially you both and your father.  There were times when I could have walked away, but chose to stay and try to work it out.

Tell them Kimberly, how I would sign my notes, cards, and letters with the word Mummy, because sometimes you needed me to be your mummy even as you got older.

Tell them Joseph, of the time when you were going thru the rough times, that I called you daily to check on you and to tell you I loved you and things will be better.

Tell them how much I loved my grandchildren, almost more than you both.  Tell them how much joy they gave me and how I cherished taking care of them when you both couldn’t.

Tell them I would get on the floor and play fort, speed cars, take them on walks in the wagon, how we would make brownies, cookies, milkshakes and tell them how much I missed them when we were apart from me for only a few days.

Tell them of the wonderful letters I would write Connor and Kylie at Christmas and their birthdays.

Tell them how I loved working and enjoyed people.

Tell them how I always would be there if you or Joseph needed me.  How I would tell you both it will be better, no matter how dark and lonely the times got.

Tell them of my love for the cold weather and how I longed for the quiet solitary walks in the cold and the beautiful spring and autumn days. 

Tell them how Christmas was my favorite holiday, because it meant being with family.

Tell them how I hated making potato salad, ham and peas for Christmas and New Years Eve’s get togethers, but tolerated it because it was your father’s tradition.

Tell them how I would make people laugh without even trying.  How my words or actions caused smiles on the faces of the people who came in and out of my life.

Tell them I lived a good life.  Together with your father we started out with nothing and ended up with everything.  Tell them how I worried about everyone and how I wished I could just kiss the boo boos away.

But most of all, tell them that I was a gentle spirit, an angel who carried her burdens without anyone ever really knowing what I was going through. We only get one chance on earth and I can be happy knowing that my time spent here was worth it all.

In closing, ask that they not mourn my passing, but to be happy because I went home to eternal bliss to be with God and the angels.  Tell them to rejoice in knowing me as a person who had strength and courage to say and do the right thing.  Tell them I loved them all and only ask that they not forget me even though I know how time goes on and we tend to forget those who have passed from this earth.  Remember both of you, I will look down from heaven and be with you both until it your time to come home too!”                       

Mom Monica would write us long letters of life wisdom and love on important and momentous occasions, such as the first day of school, important birthdays, going away to college, moving away, moving back, marriage, etc.  They are a treasure.

Joseph is proud and happy to have helped her, playing cards, word games, cooking cleaning, sitting and talking, maintaining their home, landscaping and flower gardening, hiking the local trails, being positive, taking care of her after Dad died, it is something he will never regret.  It was his honor.  Kimberly enjoyed having her so close to her and her children at the time of her death and will be forever grateful of the times they shared at the end of her life. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Christopher and Regina Hughes, both of Pittsburgh, PA and the husband she so dearly loved Joseph Shimo, of Stow, OH.  She is survived by her son, Joseph J. Shimo IX ( Joe Jr); daughter, Kimberly Barth; grandchildren, Connor and Kylie Barth; former son-in-law, now Joseph’s brother, Jonathan Jody Barth, all of the general Stow, OH area; her siblings all in the general Pittsburgh PA area, sister Ginger (Jimmy) Mannion, brother Larry and Ruth Hughes, brother Frank Hughes, and their families. Monica was a beautiful woman inside and out and along with her husband, to their mother and father, her children would like to again say thank you, and tell everyone you both and together were the best. We will be celebrating Joe’s life also during these occasions.  Monica’s family welcomes and truly encourages the sharing of fond memories and photos you might like to post thru the condolences or photos sections of the website.

In lieu of flowers, Monica and Joe’s children say thank you, please consider and ask that donations in the name of the Monica and Joe be offered to the American Lung Association and/or to Catholic Charities in your city.

Friends and family will be received at Redmon Funeral Home, 3633 Darrow Road, Stow, for calling hours on Friday, September 28th from 4-6 and 7-9 PM.  Further hours for those who cannot make it Friday will be Saturday 8:45-9:30 AM.  Church services as Burial Mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 3179 Kent Road, Stow, 44224 at 10 AM on Saturday, September 29th.  Afterwards, friends and family are invited to a luncheon to celebrate Monica and Joe’s life.  Location available at calling hours or at the church.