Monica Cardon 'loved everybody. Even those who were hard to love'

Monica Cardon was there for her children’s and grandchildren’s games, plays and science exhibits.

She showed up for births, for parties, for church, for prayer.

And, as the speakers at her memorial service emphasized, once she arrived, Monica would reach out to everyone, listen to them, care for them.

“She loved everybody,” said her daughter Jennifer Myles. “Even those who were hard to love.”

Monica died on May 22 at age 87, having suffered from several health issues. She left behind her husband of 67 years, Frank Cardon, the retired sports editor of the Rochester Times-Union, as well as seven children and 17 grandchildren, another grandchild, Cory Cardon, having preceded her in death.

The memorial service for Monica held on a sunny July 20 at Cornerstone Bible Chapel in Gates was packed, a tribute to her and to her large family.

The story of Monica Royer Cardon’s life was shared, how she grew up on a farm in a small Pennsylvania town, how she met Frank in high school, how they married, relocated as he got different newspaper jobs and then came to Rochester in 1963. They settled in Greece, moving to different houses sometimes to accommodate a large and growing family.

The Cardons had wanted eight children, but seven (Chris, Greg, Randy, Michele, Michael, Jennifer, and Laurie) arrived in 9 ½ years, all delivered by caesarean section. That proved to be enough.

Monica and Frank were guided by a strong faith. They prayed every night for an ever-changing list of people. They took food to the hungry. They reached out in other ways. In 1999, Monica, Frank, and their son Greg were baptized, renewing vows that had been made on their behalf when they were young.

Michele Cardon prepared a video for the service. It showed images of Monica and her family accompanied by the joyous sounds of “Mamma Mia!” There Monica was smiling, surrounded by children. She was not a tall person, but she stood out, the camera capturing her joy.

“My mom loved generously,” her daughter Laurie, now Laurie Barinowski, said at the service.

“And she was passionate about animals,” Laurie added. “My mom delighted in birds, in mice.”

Yes, mice. Laurie said that if mice showed up in the Cardon household, they would be humanely trapped, assigned a name in alphabetic order, and then released.

Once a mouse named Misty was captured in the dead of winter. It would have been cruel to set it out in the cold, so Monica took Misty along to Georgia, where Laurie lives, and liberated her there.

“She loved each of us uniquely,” said son-in-law Rick Myles, remembering how Monica had made him one of the family.

Monica Royer Cardon was at the center of that family, smiling, caring, believing, and showing up, which is why so many showed up for her on a clear summer’s day, to say goodbye, to praise, and, of course, to give thanks.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Monica Cardon was at heart of large, active family: Lives remembered