Throwback Thursday: Do You Remember...?

ENFIELD, CT - In this weekly series, Enfield Patch publishes a photo of a business or landmark in town that is no longer in existence.

This week's offering is quite different than usual, for today we are remembering a lovely woman who was an institution in town for more than two decades.

In the 1980s and 1990s, whether you were looking to start your day with a big breakfast, or had just closed Katie's Cafe, the Pumpernickel Pub, Memories Cafe or the Leopard Lounge, you would inevitably head to Denny's on Elm Street. Just as inevitably, you would come in contact with "Ma."

Very few people knew Ma's real name was Koreen Valeo. She worked at Denny's for 21 years, and was exactly as her nickname suggested - a second mother to everyone. Denny's was open 24 hours a day, but it seemed Ma was there for 30.

Ma passed away on March 18, 2002 at age 66. On the five-year anniversary of her passing, her daughter Pammy wrote this tribute:

"You were known to everyone as Ma, because of your love for life and people. I will never forget the time when I was sitting beside a young woman in Denny’s who called you Ma. And I said, proudly, that’s my mother. She turned to me, and said yes, she’s my mother too ~ she’s everybody’s mother. And, I said, I know but that’s really my mother. She looked at me in disbelief and couldn’t wait to confirm this with you. When she found out it was really true she said to me, wow, you’re so lucky to have her as your real mother. I knew that then and I still know it now. You gave yourself to everyone who needed you and always did it unconditionally."

Enfield Patch invites readers to share their memories of Ma in the comments section below.

Do you have a photo of a former Enfield business or landmark? Email it to tim.jensen@patch.com and we’ll feature it in an upcoming column.