The Eileen Sobieck Story

Ladies and Gentleman, friends, and relatives; we are gathered here this evening to honor our most beloved sister, sister in law, mother, classmate, and friend Eileen Sobieck on her 40th. anniversary of the day of her birth. “A cute little trick” is what she was referred to by a girlfriend of her brother John who is also her godfather. The girlfriend is long gone but the comment which evolved from trick to Trixie in the usual Poquette fashion is still in use today. Trixie who was born in the land of Hobart February 25 1965 as a poor sharecropper’s daughter worked hard to earn her keep in the Poquette domicile. All she asked in return for her labor was to go with her sisters to the U. P. State Fair where she could enjoy a quiet evening and maybe take in a nice tent show. She was granted her wish and with her sisters they were off to the fair. While at the fair her sisters convinced her they should take in what was billed as a “freak show” in the advertising. Now the Poquette sisters are not one’s to look away from an accident, Trixie included, so they proceeded to take their seats in the front row of the big top. The young girls watched intently as a woman was placed in a cage and the door secured as the ringmaster explained that when the time came the bars would contain the danger within without a doubt. Suddenly without warning an explosion came from within the cage there was a flash and smoke filled the cage, the girls peered into the smoke to try to make out what , or who was in the cage, finally a large hairy figure began to appear through the smoke. Within a few moments it became apparent what had happened, the woman in the cage had been turned into a gorilla! The gorilla looked very threatening and scared most of the young children stomping about and growling and grabbing at the bars. The ringmaster took the opportunity to reassure everyone again that the cage was indeed very strong and would hold the beast no matter how mad he got.  The gorilla stormed around some more and then finally with a terrific lunge HE BROKE THE CAGE APART ! When Jean looked at Trixie her eyes were as big as saucers and she was not about to wait for the gorilla to come and introduce himself to her. She had made up her mind and did not need to consult with her sister, with giant steps she was on her way to the exit and nothing would stop her. She clawed her way to the back of the tent to get out, behind her a cloud of dust and a trail of children that had been knocked to the floor by her in the panic. By the time the gorilla had got his mask off to ask her to come back she had already cleared the front gate.

She continued to cook and clean the Poquette home, and also swept the ashes from the fireplace. She could often be seen walking the Poquette farm covered in soot while her sister Judy and twin sister Jean walked about in formal dresses trying to impress the local stock of single men. On many occasions she was pressed into service as the family “pet undertaker” burying deceased pets and farm animals in the special pet cemetery she had cordoned off in the Poquette back forty. She would unceremoniously bury cats, and dogs. But I remember one particularly unusual burial was Joey, a calf which had passed in the winter. Trixie unable to dig a grave deep enough in the frost was forced to shear the legs off of the critter and lay them in the grave next to the body, all this was done without question or complaint. Trixie would carry out the mechanics of a pet burial in routine fashion while her twin sister Jean would read a few passages from the good book and speak a few kind words describing the impact the pet had on the family. When the burial was completed they would both go back to the family home where they helped themselves to a complimentary funeral lunch.

In between burials Trixie would resume her duties of cooking and cleaning and sweeping the ashes with no help from her sisters Judy and Jeanie. She asked for little but in 1982 she did show interest in the popular St. Joseph’s Church Picnic Ball to which all the noble and elite attended. Her sisters would be going but she was denied because of her lack of proper attire. When the day of the Picnic Ball arrived Trixie sat dreaming to herself of the affair, her sisters had already left and the Picnic Ball had already begun! She was about to give up hope of attending when she heard a gravely voice say to her “you must get ready for the Picnic Ball”. She turned and could not believe her eyes, standing in front of her holding a new dress and a pair of vinyl and Lexan slippers was her fairy god mother Grub. Trixie was excited at the opportunity, but there was a catch, Grub told her to return by midnight or she would be turned into a gorilla. She told her that children would be trampled as people fled from her scary appearance. She accepted the responsibility and quickly went to put on her new dress. While at the Picnic Ball many of the local men tried to impress the young domestic servant but without success, but then she spotted her sister Jean flirting and showing off around a young prince named Kevin. Jean wanted Kevin for herself and tried everything to impress him, as she forced herself on him he politely excused himself and turned and looked directly at Trixie as she descended the stairway from the upstairs bathrooms. When their eyes met a connection was made and they both knew immediately that they were meant for each other. They danced through the evening they were both having a great time when suddenly out of the corner of her eye Trixie saw a continuous flash of headlights, as car after car passed by she suddenly realized Bingo had let out, IT WAS MIDNIGHT! In a panic she ran from the Picnic Ball and from Prince Kevin as fast as she could, Kevin ran to catch up as fast as he could but with arthritis already starting to affect his knees from his work at Schuch Construction he was unable to catch her. When it was apparent he could not catch her he stopped trying to run on his bad knees and looked down. Ahead of him he could see something steaming in the cool night air, as he drew closer he realized it was one of Trixie’s vinyl and Lexan slippers still drenched in her warm sweat. He immediately held it to his chest (after wiping it off with a large bath towel) and vowed he would find the woman who left the triple E slipper on the path and make her his wife. Kevin searched for days for his true love, asking everyone. Then he stopped at the Poquette’s house and explained his mission, asking if he could have the daughters try on the slipper. Immediately Jean offered her foot for the match but the triple E slipper flopped around and it was apparent Jean could have gotten both of her feet into it. Judy was the next in line for a fit test but she only looked at Prince Kevin and asked him with a giggle “have you ever met Boy George.” He withdrew the slipper before she could get her foot near it. Finally from around the corner with a shovel on her shoulder returning from a fresh pet burial was Trixie. Prince Kevin looked at Trixie and their eyes met again, he asked her to try on the slipper but he already knew. She sat down and Kevin untied her Red Wings and tried on the slipper, it fit perfect. From that moment on they had never been apart. They were wed and lived happily together in the land of Hobart and raised many children. The oldest, Justin, who crashes or sinks something every few weeks and causes minor harm to himself. A daughter Brittany, who is interested in older men but measures length of relationships with an egg timer. Brittany did so poorly in school Trixie had to offer to sleep with her math teacher so she could graduate. And a juvenile son Logan who when he is not riding with his posse likes to spend time dressing like a girl and posing for photos in drag. Oh and the two sisters, well, they were banished from the land of Hobart and exiled to Luxemburg and Greenleaf.

So now the cute little trick is a stay at home mom who spends time working as a volunteer at the schools and in her kitchen painting and decorating her crafts. She is the one everyone goes to when they want to plan a special event or need something clever for a party. All of her brothers and sisters, inlaws, and friends love her for what she is, not for what she can do. She has always been there for everyone when they needed someone to talk to or had to deal with any kind of special problem. In the past people have accused me of making stuff up if you can imagine, well let there be no confusion, this is the truth.  People in the family as well as others have told me what a great person she is, of course I can’t reveal who they are, first amendment rights and so forth, so I am not making this up people really have said it. Tonight we have taken our opportunity to poke fun, but let us not forget what a special person Trixie is and how thankful we are to have her as a relative and friend. Tonight is her night so take the time to thank her for everything she has done and give her a big hug. Let’s pay back just a little of the kindness she has shown to us. Trixie, happy 40th birthday and I hope you have many more, although I still think your 41 because I have a plaque that says so, never mind that birth certificate.