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This website is dedicated to my faithfully departed mother, who (under the auspices of Mother Teresa) was the Founder of the Lay Missionaries of Charity in Carmel, Indiana. No one loved her more than my God fearing Father, who wrote and articulated the most beautiful obituary.
EMCELE MASBAUM OBITUARYEmCele Masbaum
A Life Well Lived
She died this Christmas Season. She had a beautiful Requiem High Mass. The Mass was sung, accompanied by a pipe organ and said by our Pastor, Reverend C. Ryan McCarthy, S.T.D. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Indianapolis. She then had a graveside Catholic Burial Ceremony at Crown Hill Cemetery by our Pastor.
EmCele's first name is unique and derived by her own father as a combination of Emma and St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Her patron saint is frequently picture playing an Organ which interestingly became EmCele's instrument even before she earned her college music degree in Organ.
EmCele was born in Chicago, Illinois to Henry and Mary Torgersen, their 3rd daughter. She began a life filled with music, taking piano lessons at DePaul University as young as a first grader. She took the bus downtown alone at that time for her piano lessons. Her father's job as a plant manager at International Harvester required family moves in the Midwest from Chicago to Davenport, Louisville, back to Chicago and then Fort Wayne, Indiana. The family moves eventually led to a scattering of a next generation of nieces and nephews of EmCele.
EmCele's piano playing progressed to the Organ. As a child prodigy she was playing the Church Pipe Organ as young as age 11. At that age she played the Organ music for her oldest sister's wedding. She attended grade schools in Davenport and Louisville; then graduated from the all-girls high school, Mother McCauley in Chicago. She attended college in Kentucky and graduated from Marian College in Indianapolis with a Bachelor's Degree in Music. Later, she worked on her Master's Degree in Music Education and earned a Teaching Certificate through Butler University. EmCele has numerous nieces and nephews in the Midwest.
She met her future husband Ned at a Medical School Spring break party in Fort Wayne. She and Ned married at St. Charles in Fort Wayne the same weekend he graduated from Medical School. They had a week long honeymoon in a small rental cottage at Lake Wawasee. EmCele's father let them use his 25 horsepower "speed boat" for that week. They went to Indianapolis where Ned began his internship and EmCele studied at Marian College. They rented a new apartment on West 38th street but could not afford the luxury of an air conditioning unit which cost an extra $ 30.00 per year. They spent the next 4 years in Indianapolis where Margy and Bob were born. The family then moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire living at a US Naval Submarine base where Ned served his draft time. After the Navy, they returned to Indianapolis, then Carmel when Andrew was born. At the time of her death she and Ned had been married 51 years. Ned is luckiest man in the world and the most grateful to have had such a God given wife.
EmCele's father had become disabled with a stroke and her mother needed much attention. EmCele, with her own children and growing family began 4 decades of care of her mother. This led to EmCele running 2 households, her husband and children's and her mother's. During that busy time EmCele began writing and publishing music and was taken into ASCAP [American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers] and AGO [American Guild of Organists] but was unable to develop her work instead dedicating her life to the care of her children, mother and husband. In spite of all her heavy burdens, she also wanted to dedicate her life to Christ and the Church. She felt a calling and wrote a letter to Mother Teresa asking how lay people might help with Mother Teresa's work. Mother Teresa wrote her back and had amazingly been in the process of setting up an organization of lay people for just the very thing EmCele had been interested. EmCele met with Mother Teresa in Rome. Under the guidance of the Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, EmCele founded the local Lay Missionaries of Charity in Carmel. A conclave was held in Carmel where people came from all over the US and abroad to attend. Later, an international gathering was organized by EmCele and others and held in Rome. EmCele gave so much of herself to her family and the Church that her health was severely affected. However, her dedication of service to family and Church and others never wavered. And just as most Saints and Mother Teresa herself dedicated to good works and kindness, the downside of humankind brings forth calumny.
EmCele was always so kind to others and totally dedicated to making others feel good, even sacrificing her own comfort in the process. She always had a pleasant smile, a great sense of humor and served good counsel to her family and all who sought it. EmCele performed all the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, some of which are visiting the sick and imprisoned, giving comfort, advice and bearing wrongs patiently. EmCele's Book of Life is chocked full of her good deeds for others.
EmCele was also the so well read in the Church teachings. She studied extensively which included the wisdom of Bishop Sheen. In a most unusual occurrence Bishop Sheen actually came to Carmel and EmCele along with others was taken into Bishop Sheen's Nocturnal Adoration Society.
EmCele had exceptional powers of perception and understanding. Three months before she was symptomatic and diagnosed with cancer she predicted that she was dying. He dying wish was to be at home; which was thankfully accomplished with the help of Franciscan St. Francis Home Hospice.
EmCele was always joyful and was the Spirit of Christmas 365 days a year. To have known EmCele was to have known a living Saint. Her life fits right in with Butler's Lives of the Saints. She was the most beautiful person, personality-wise and she was beautiful physically even through all her suffering including the moment of her peaceful death at home. Even lying on her death bed after her death she was beautiful!
A Life Well Lived
She died this Christmas Season. She had a beautiful Requiem High Mass. The Mass was sung, accompanied by a pipe organ and said by our Pastor, Reverend C. Ryan McCarthy, S.T.D. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Indianapolis. She then had a graveside Catholic Burial Ceremony at Crown Hill Cemetery by our Pastor.
EmCele's first name is unique and derived by her own father as a combination of Emma and St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Her patron saint is frequently picture playing an Organ which interestingly became EmCele's instrument even before she earned her college music degree in Organ.
EmCele was born in Chicago, Illinois to Henry and Mary Torgersen, their 3rd daughter. She began a life filled with music, taking piano lessons at DePaul University as young as a first grader. She took the bus downtown alone at that time for her piano lessons. Her father's job as a plant manager at International Harvester required family moves in the Midwest from Chicago to Davenport, Louisville, back to Chicago and then Fort Wayne, Indiana. The family moves eventually led to a scattering of a next generation of nieces and nephews of EmCele.
EmCele's piano playing progressed to the Organ. As a child prodigy she was playing the Church Pipe Organ as young as age 11. At that age she played the Organ music for her oldest sister's wedding. She attended grade schools in Davenport and Louisville; then graduated from the all-girls high school, Mother McCauley in Chicago. She attended college in Kentucky and graduated from Marian College in Indianapolis with a Bachelor's Degree in Music. Later, she worked on her Master's Degree in Music Education and earned a Teaching Certificate through Butler University. EmCele has numerous nieces and nephews in the Midwest.
She met her future husband Ned at a Medical School Spring break party in Fort Wayne. She and Ned married at St. Charles in Fort Wayne the same weekend he graduated from Medical School. They had a week long honeymoon in a small rental cottage at Lake Wawasee. EmCele's father let them use his 25 horsepower "speed boat" for that week. They went to Indianapolis where Ned began his internship and EmCele studied at Marian College. They rented a new apartment on West 38th street but could not afford the luxury of an air conditioning unit which cost an extra $ 30.00 per year. They spent the next 4 years in Indianapolis where Margy and Bob were born. The family then moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire living at a US Naval Submarine base where Ned served his draft time. After the Navy, they returned to Indianapolis, then Carmel when Andrew was born. At the time of her death she and Ned had been married 51 years. Ned is luckiest man in the world and the most grateful to have had such a God given wife.
EmCele's father had become disabled with a stroke and her mother needed much attention. EmCele, with her own children and growing family began 4 decades of care of her mother. This led to EmCele running 2 households, her husband and children's and her mother's. During that busy time EmCele began writing and publishing music and was taken into ASCAP [American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers] and AGO [American Guild of Organists] but was unable to develop her work instead dedicating her life to the care of her children, mother and husband. In spite of all her heavy burdens, she also wanted to dedicate her life to Christ and the Church. She felt a calling and wrote a letter to Mother Teresa asking how lay people might help with Mother Teresa's work. Mother Teresa wrote her back and had amazingly been in the process of setting up an organization of lay people for just the very thing EmCele had been interested. EmCele met with Mother Teresa in Rome. Under the guidance of the Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, EmCele founded the local Lay Missionaries of Charity in Carmel. A conclave was held in Carmel where people came from all over the US and abroad to attend. Later, an international gathering was organized by EmCele and others and held in Rome. EmCele gave so much of herself to her family and the Church that her health was severely affected. However, her dedication of service to family and Church and others never wavered. And just as most Saints and Mother Teresa herself dedicated to good works and kindness, the downside of humankind brings forth calumny.
EmCele was always so kind to others and totally dedicated to making others feel good, even sacrificing her own comfort in the process. She always had a pleasant smile, a great sense of humor and served good counsel to her family and all who sought it. EmCele performed all the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, some of which are visiting the sick and imprisoned, giving comfort, advice and bearing wrongs patiently. EmCele's Book of Life is chocked full of her good deeds for others.
EmCele was also the so well read in the Church teachings. She studied extensively which included the wisdom of Bishop Sheen. In a most unusual occurrence Bishop Sheen actually came to Carmel and EmCele along with others was taken into Bishop Sheen's Nocturnal Adoration Society.
EmCele had exceptional powers of perception and understanding. Three months before she was symptomatic and diagnosed with cancer she predicted that she was dying. He dying wish was to be at home; which was thankfully accomplished with the help of Franciscan St. Francis Home Hospice.
EmCele was always joyful and was the Spirit of Christmas 365 days a year. To have known EmCele was to have known a living Saint. Her life fits right in with Butler's Lives of the Saints. She was the most beautiful person, personality-wise and she was beautiful physically even through all her suffering including the moment of her peaceful death at home. Even lying on her death bed after her death she was beautiful!
