Mom son die same day_A mother and son who spent several years working together at their family business both died Wednesday within a few hours of each other, family members said.

Victoria “Vicky” Tehan, 92, of Utica, died at the Masonic Care Community in Utica Wednesday morning. Her oldest son, Basil Tehan, 67, died later that afternoon at Crouse Irving Hospital in Syracuse, his brother Richard Tehan of New Hartford said.

The Tehan family owned a local catalogue showroom store in Utica and New Hartford from the late 1950s until 1995, Richard Tehan said.

The successful store was co-founded by Victoria Tehan and her husband, Louis Tehan, who died in 1974. Both had a natural talent for business, but neither had more than a high school education, Richard Tehan said.

“They were at the store all the time,” he said. “That was their life. And all the children, including my brother Basil, all worked there as we were growing up and in school.”

Richard Tehan said he has many fond memories of working there as a family, and that as an adult he has realized how important that time together was. He also said that while his mother was officially in charge of the jewelry portion of the store, she actually ran most of the day-to-day operations.

“We always say my father was the idea man, but my mom did all the hard work,” he said.
Victoria Tehan also volunteered in the surgical waiting room at St. Luke's Memorial Hospital for nearly 20 years, comforting families and serving as a liaison between them and the doctors during procedures.

“She was always the softie,” he said, remembering how caring she was. “Whenever we needed anything, we always went to her.”

A Utica native, she married her husband in 1941, when they were both in their 20s. She is survived by five of her six children, 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, Richard Tehan said.

Four of those grandchildren belonged to Basil Tehan, who was described by his brother as a “brilliant” man and “the nicest guy in the world.”

A Utica resident and widower, Basil Tehan held a Ph.D. in physics from Clarkson University and previously worked at both Mohawk Valley Community College and SUNYIT.

Richard Tehan said his brother's death came as a shock to the family even though he had been admitted to the hospital Friday. Basil Tehan had not been notified of his mother's death before he died, and the family was meeting with the funeral director at Eannace Funeral Home when they learned of his death, he said.

Mother and son will share calling hours at Eannace Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, as well as funeral services Saturday. The first service is at 9 a.m. at the funeral home.

The second at 10 a.m. at St. Basil's Melkite Church, where a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by Msgr. Julien Eliane. Entombment will follow in Calvary Mausoleum.

source: uticaod