Obituary of E. Regina Arcana

E. Regina Arcana of Clinton NY died Sunday, November 29, 2009 at the age of 88. Raised in Gibsonburg, Ohio, she was born in Flint, Michigan to Healon and Margaret (Cavanaugh) Fairbanks. Regina was a quiet, shy woman who read up to two books a week until the last few months of her life. Smart, observant, and a consummate listener, Regina had a strong devotion to two things, her catholic faith and her large family. Her closest friends over the years were her sisters and sisters-in-law. Regina survived her husband of 45 years, Peter S. Arcana, who died in 1990 and with whom she raised 7 children: Stephen Arcana, now deceased; John Arcana of Manhattan; Mary Arcana and Kevin Arcana of Oakland, CA; Patricia Beatson of New Hartford, NY; Michele Christeler of Clinton, NY; Regina Arcana of Fremont, CA; and a grandson, John Paul Arcana of Seattle, WA. Regina and Peter met in church in 1944. He spotted her across the aisle; according to his memoirs, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was a reserved farm girl from Ohio of Irish/English descent; he was an outgoing city boy from Philadelphia whose parents were Sicilian immigrants. What they had in common was their catholic faith and their unwavering devotion to family. Lt. Col. Peter Arcana's careers as an army officer and as a special agent for the FAA required moving the family to many locations throughout the world. A consummate military wife, Regina was, able to pull up stakes and set up a warm and organized home wherever the family landed; this included Germany, Austria, Japan, Virginia, California, Ohio, and New York. In 1971, the couple faced a tragic loss when their eldest son, Lt. Stephen Arcana, a phantom-jet navigator and graduate of Annapolis Naval Academy, was killed in a plane crash at the age of 26. After raising their seven children, Regina and Peter also raised a grandson, John Paul Arcana, and provided foster care and healing for a number of sickly infants. Regina is also survived by her sister Helen Kirsch and her brother Francis Fairbanks, both of Gibsonburg, Ohio, as well as her grandchildren, John Paul Arcana, Jean Meyer, Rachel Christeler, Hans Peter Christeler, Jr., Bill & Steve Fifield and their sister Kimberly, and a great-grandchild Marlie. During the last 5 years, Regina faced many painful health challenges. She did so with the same dignity and forbearance she exhibited throughout her long and eventful life. Her main focus was always her family's well being, rather than her own. Regina's gentle ways, willingness to listen, and soothing presence will be sorely missed.