Obituary of Lena Schober

Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation" lost a special member on May 2, 2015, when a broken heart claimed the life of Lena Fiore Schober, who was 94. Lena's beloved husband, Louis, died on February 28, 2015. They were married for almost 67 years and enjoyed simply being together. Like so many immigrants, Lena's family moved from Palermo, Italy to Brooklyn, New York in 1921, seeking a better life. Along with her father, Ernesto, she proudly became a naturalized citizen of the United States upon attaining her 18th birthday. When asked why they wanted to become U.S. citizens, they answered in unison, "patriotism." Her mother, Anita, had died six years earlier while giving birth to twins. After her mother's death, Lena became a surrogate mother to her four siblings, sacrificing her own childhood for her younger brothers and sisters. She had three children with Louis, Robert (Cathy) Schober, Gary (Barbara) Schober and Lynn (Scott) Griffith, all of whom survive her. Lena is also survived by seven grandchildren (Alison, Laura, Kristen (Andrew Gonzalez), Brendan, Robert, Bradley and Caitlin). As a young girl, Lena was very athletic, and enjoyed sports of all kinds. She was affectionately known as "Sneakers" in high school. Her dream of going to college went unrealized, as her responsibilities to family and economic realities prevented higher education. Lena's happiest days were in raising her three children in Seaford, Long Island, enjoying a post-war idyllic life. She retired from New York Telephone Company in 1979 and moved with Louis to Welcome Lake, Pennsylvania. They finally settled in Manalapan, New Jersey to be near their daughter, Lynn, and her husband, Scott, who assisted them in recent years. During the immigration process, Lena's actual name and birthdate were lost, and she suspected her name was really Pasqualina. While her true name and birthday may never be known, her love for family will never be lost. She thrived in her role as family matriarch and could often be witnessed dispensing, in equal measure, empathy and tough love to anyone earning her wrath. Throughout her life, she simply could not do enough for her family. Even when facing death, her concerns usually focused on her children and grandchildren. Oddly, her only fear as life's end approached was the prospect that her family would not remember her. Anyone who ever knew Lena realizes how ridiculous it is that her family could forget her. Despite strong family pressure, Lena was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, who remained confident the Bums would return to Brooklyn someday. She possessed a strong faith, and often devoted time and energy to her church. Her favorite Christmas song was "Dominick the Donkey," a ditty about a Sicilian donkey navigating the hills of Sicily at Christmastime. As macular degeneration took away much of her eyesight, Lena enjoyed music, audio books, and visits and telephone calls from family and friends. Family and friends are invited to visit on Thursday, May 7, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., at Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, 344 Route 9 North, Manalapan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Clement Church, Matawan. Entombment will follow at St. Gabriel's Mausoleum, Marlboro. To leave a condolence or find directions visit www.freemanfuneralhomes.com.