1st Visitation
2nd Visitation
3rd Visitation
Mass
Interment
Obituary of Emalie Maureen Grace Platt Feerick
Emalie was a beloved wife and mother who will be remembered for her loving, kind, deeply spiritual, and gentle soul. She was a warm, steady presence in the home; she was the sun around which her large family orbited.
Born on November 26,1938, in Southampton, NY, to Edith Guldi Platt and William Bangs Platt II, Emalie was the second of seven children and was affectionately known as “Sis” in her family of origin. In high school she was educated by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) and later, at Manhattanville College, by the Society of Sacred Heart (RSCJ), where she graduated in the top of her class. Inspired by the sisters and contemplative by nature, she thought about becoming a nun, though her six children are glad she reconsidered. As a young adult, Emalie taught grammar school in Sayville for two years before marrying John, a young Irish law student she met at a Fordham Law School Moot Court competition. She was drawn to his integrity, graciousness, and humility. In a telling letter to her parents, she excitedly announced, “I met the nicest man,” and then described her future husband’s lack of sophistication as commendable. Married for 63 years, Emalie and John forged a bond of love based on mutual care, devotion to family, and commitment to their Catholic faith. As he and other family members often observed, she was the “wind beneath our wings.”
In their early years, Emalie helped John research his books on presidential inability and succession, lending her literary touch to his lawyerly prose. Later, she offered behind- the scenes support to him as he served as Dean of Fordham Law School, worked on historic legal arbitrations, and volunteered with several public service commissions. In all these capacities she was John’s moral compass, guiding him through difficult decisions. Family members remember the critical role she played searching for John’s lost items, often invoking the assistance of her close friend, St. Anthony.
At a time when many women were entering the workforce, Emalie was clear that her deepest vocation was to be a mother and to spend her days raising her children. She welcomed and nurtured six children. Her devotion to them was as deep as the ocean and as wide as the sky. She provided essential support, driving them to and from activities, advising on homework, and helping them through professional, personal, and medical struggles. One daughter even remembers the time Emalie shoveled snow off the driveway so her children could attend a Springsteen concert! She was always there, ready to listen, celebrate happy times and commiserate, whether in person or on the phone, sometimes for hours. In these conversations, she conveyed the wisdom of sages, ever patient and attentive to the needs of her children.
Emalie offered love and support not only to her children but also to people struggling with poverty, illness, or other challenges. For many years, she taught religious education and served as a committed volunteer with Friends in Service Helping (FISH), driving elderly neighbors around town for medical appointments and errands. She was quick to respond to calls to collect food for people experiencing food insecurity; her children remember her filling the family station wagon with bags of food whenever a food drive was announced. In her elder years, when mobility was a challenge, she channeled her care into daily rosaries offered for those going through hard times. She was a living example of the compassionate spirit of the Beatitudes. She never made demands on others and sweetly thanked those who offered physical and emotional support as her health declined.
Emalie brought grace and beauty to everything and everyone she touched. A natural poet, the ditties and poems in her cards to children, grandchildren, and friends displayed her elegant handwriting and celebrated the seasons, nature’s goodness, and God’s presence in daily life. Emalie mastered the art of a slower pace and boldly refused to adopt the urgency of those around her. Like her mother, she was a talented pianist, and would sit down at night when she thought no one was listening to play a graceful version of Chopin’s Minute Waltz. Like her father, Emalie was a gifted wordsmith, whose skills were often tapped by her father-in-law to solve word puzzles. She was a fierce competitor on the Scrabble board and a regular participant in nightly rounds of Jeopardy.
Her grandchildren remember with great fondness the way she occasionally offered a well-timed off-color remark that would surprise and leave the room in hysterics. These were sometimes attributable to a sip of Southern Comfort, her favorite, very occasional nightcap. Her grandchildren loved to pose riddles to her, to sit with her while watching her favorite NFL teams or the latest crime thrillers, and to wrap her in big bear hugs.
Emalie is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, John David Feerick; her six children, Maureen (Lester), Margaret (Kyle), Jean (Bill), Rosemary (Dave), John (Marivic), and Bill; 11 grandchildren David, Chris (Caroline), Ryan (Emily), Liam, Connor, Roddy, Sean, Dylan, Ian, Brynn, and Caitlyn; 1 great grandchild (Clare); her brothers Jonathan and Richard; and her sister Ellen. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews; her “adopted” granddaughters, Clementine and Hannah; and her amazing care-support team, Denise, Janet, and Marina.
Emalie’s spirit lives on in the many people she has shaped, nurtured, inspired, and loved. She will be missed by her family and friends who know she has been reunited with dear friends and family members who have predeceased her, including her parents, William and Edith Platt; her siblings, Mary Jo Joyce, William Platt III, and Harold Platt; her in-laws John and Mary Jane Boyle Feerick, Donald Feerick, Joan Pritchard Platt, and Thomas Joyce; her niece, Joan Platt; her nephew, David Hoar; and lifelong friends from college. Her family takes comfort in knowing Emalie now rests in the lap of God.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to The Food Ministry at Saints John and Paul, Channel 13, or Hurricane Relief for Jamaica.
Emalie's family will receive friends at the John J. Fox Funeral Home 2080 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY 10538 on Monday December 8 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm, and Tuesday December 9 from 2:00pm until 4:00pm and from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Emalie December 10th at 10:00am at Sts. John & Paul Church, 280 Weaver Street, Larchmont, NY 10538. Interment will follow at the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Cemetery, 231 County Rd 39A, Southampton, NY 11968.