THE MEMORIAL FOR CISSI ALEX WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2011 (THE DAY BEFORE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CISSI'S 75TH BIRTHDAY) AT 5 P.M. AT
MOOSE LODGE, 2103 EAST FRANKLIN AVENUE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78723
The Moose Lodge is in the Airport Blvd.-38-1/2 Street Area.
THERE WILL BE GREAT FOOD AND GREAT FRIENDS...JUST WHAT OUR CISSI WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND. ENTERTAINMENT AND A CASH BAR!
PLEASE BRING ANY PICTURES YOU MIGHT HAVE OF CISSI TO ADD TO A COLLAGE OR SEND THEM TO CARLOS FOR REPRINTING PRIOR TO THE PARTY. HIS ADDRESS IS BELOW.
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE TO HONOR A TRULY BEAUTIFUL LADY WHO WAS SO GENEROUS AND FULL OF LOVE THAT SHE TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF SO VERY MANY PEOPLE. PLEASE TELL EVERYONE WHO KNEW HER, WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS CELEBRATION, TO JOIN US.
The sunshine of many of our lives has faded into the sunset.
Eileen Watson Alex was the youngest child of Walter C. Watson and Eileen A. Keeney Watson.
She grew up in Worcester before moving to Auburn, Ma. in 1949. She arrived in Austin in the early 60's. She was pre-deceased by her parents and her two older brothers, Walter P. Watson and Lawrence M. Watson. She is survived by her sister, Margaret Amiot and husband Joseph, of Holden, Ma., by her sister-in-law Carol Watson of Suffolk, Va., and by Don Alex of Corpus Christi, Tx., as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and hundreds of Austin people who considered her "their Cissi."
A special fund has been set up for end-of-life expenses as well as for a memorial celebration of her life, which will be held closer to her birthday in October. She wanted a BIG PARTY, and we are going to give her one. Donations can be mailed to:
Carlos and Kathy Hernandez 6305 Wild Street Austin, Texas 78757
Please make checks out to Carlos Hernandez with a memo or endorsement to Eileen W. Alex Memorial Fund. Any surplus after expenses will be donated to Austin Humane Society, Cissy's favorite charity. If you have any questions, call Carlos at 512 340 0550.
Tributes
Leave a tributeI, not as good, clung to the Irish,
learned what I could, always awed
that the truth could ring so LOUD!
-- Charlotte Pittman Dethloff
Char also sent a poetic remembrance and I'll have to use another slot to share it, too long to fit here...
You left a big impact on my heart and I will miss you and always remember your sweet smile and lively personalit that could only be described as Cissy,
Sweet generous Lovable Cissy!!
I toast to you, your life, your legacy and most of all your friendship.
loveyou, Cookie
You will always and forever be missed.
Leave a Tribute
Selfless Giving
I remember as a young man at the age of 19 I used to help Cissi dumpster dive at various flower shops around town. She had this uncanny ability to find the mother load it only ever took a couple of stops. I would then take her back home and she would clean and spruce up all the neglected flowers so that she could share them with everybody. She used to say “What a waste! these are perfectly good flowers and they are just going to throw them away!” “Well its their loss.” Her resourcefulness never ceased to amaze me. When I worked at a grocery store my day would be brightened immensely by a visit from good Ole Aunt Cis. She would say, “Hey there Tono!” “How you do’n babe?” I would reply with something endearing and and ask if she needed anything. When I worked in produce it was fruits and veggies. The bakery bake goodies. Grocery I went every department and hit them up. She would never refuse the chance to give and share what she had. I would go in the back and scrounge up what ever we were not going to put out because it was marred or slightly past the date load up a box and pass it on. Cissi, God bless her would take all that food and give it to the homeless or someone who needed it more than her. Her brilliance and radiance transcended the dark and negative that permeates the city. She was and still is an angel of light.
Journal Entry Aug 11th 2011
I have some more stories to share of Aunt Cis but tonight I was writing in my journal and I ran across this entry I made the evening of the 11th when Zeb and I went to a matsuri. Cissi was quite ill and my mom had been telling me any day now. A Matsuri in Japan is a festival wherer you say good by to your ancestors souls and release them back to the spirt world. When we got back home I remember that I felt like I needed to talk to Aunt Cis so I thought I would tell her what I prayed for in a letter. I hope you enjoy I know she was quite special to us all.
"Aunt Cis,The way you have touched my life has left a lasting impression. Because of you I always look to take the back roads. I strive to give more than I receive. Your wisdom and guidance has kept me safe as a youth. You personally saved my life because of your strong conviction. I will always carry with me the blessing that it is to know you. Your life and code will live eternal in my stories of you that I will pass on to my children. Today I have prayed for you at the shrine during this time of O'Bon. I prayed for you to return home safely and that your journey will be pleasant and fulfilling. I know that this will be granted for you. A lady whom was your age gave me the offering to make when I had none to offer. Her act of generosity was the epitome of how you lived your life. I will rest easy knowing that you will finally be at peace and one day I will see you again. Only when the two ends meet is the circle complete. I Love You Aunt Cis"
John's and Frances' Wedding...
Cissi and I were at John's and Frances' home after the wedding and there was a pair of handcuffs lying around. Cissi thought it a lark to put them on...but, John didn't know where the key was and it got to be really funny...not to Cissi, tho! She was a little put out that she had handcuffed herself to a chair and stay there until finally a key was found and she was set free. She was such an adventurer and nothing was too ridiculous to do to make everyone laugh...even at her own expense! She was certainly one of a kind who always 'did it her way.'