Two weeks ago she fell and broke her leg, and had to have surgery to repair it. She then experienced a cascade of complications, and after a few days the decision was made to discontinue life-prolonging measures. She was ready; always asking for her husband, who passed almost three years ago.
On the morning of Friday, March 4th, she left this world peacefully. This week, we are planning her funeral, to be held on Friday. I have written her obituaries, and today helped my mom and my aunt and my cousin order flowers for the service, which will be held at the church where my grandparents were life-long members. There will be uncountable numbers of family there, from all over, because she deeply touched every life she met.
She taught Sunday school to four year olds in her church for over 40 years, and she was always proud of that accomplishment. She loved the children.
She was an avid gardener, and loved her flowers and her vegetable garden. Pansies were her favorites.
She was a musician, quite talented on the piano and organ.
She was a historian, documenting all the lives around her for decades.
She had a remarkable sense of humor, and I scarcely believe a time when she did not make me laugh.
She was wise and had insight that was priceless.
She had collections, one for every month of the year, that she would display around her house. I don't remember them all, but January was snowmen, February was cupids, March was leprechauns...etc.
She was an artist, crafter and seamstress. I used to wear clothes made by her when I was a girl. I wore them proudly, because she was so talented.
I don't post this to elicit sympathy, for I am not sad. I am grateful for the years she gave us here on this earth, the decades she nurtured us, fed us, clothed us, played for us and with us, laughed with us, and loved us. However, she ceased being the woman who was my grandmother some time ago. She was quite ready to move on. Please don't say you are sorry, for I am not.
What I would really like, if you feel inclined to comment, is to share a fond memory of one of your grandparents or other wizened person in your life. It would mean a lot to me that we share the ways in which the people in our lives who have had more years of experience than we have are able to touch us, help us grow, comfort us, or laugh with us.
Thank you.
Erin ~ I am deeply sorry for your loss and the same time so grateful that she has now found peace. So at your request, here is an excerpt from this post.
ReplyDelete"Meet my grandpa; my mom’s dad. I literally worshiped the ground this man walked on. I loved my visits with him. I still can remember him always sitting on the mantle with a five pack of Roi-Tan Cigars in his pocket and a Coors beer. I can remember our Thanksgiving Pheasant Hunting Trips, the drives around the alfalfa fields, climbing the walnut tree in the back yard and exploring his shop for treasure. Grandpa worked for Del Monte so we always had family trips to the orchards for peach picking and we had unlimited access to the vegetable fields. I remember the best time of the year was at Christmas when we would all sleep in sleeping bags on the living room floor so we would be right there when Santa showed up in the middle of the night…and he always showed up.
Grandpa was taken from us in 1974 when I was almost 11 years old. Way too early for me. At the time, I had no idea what I was losing.
So if I could have one more day with someone, it would be him. I would like to sit down and tell him how much he really meant to me and that he was my hero."
My Grandpa, from the time I can remember, smelled like a combination of chewing gum and a pipe. He was a men's hairdresser and so my mum lived above a shop a couple of times in her childhood. He was quite a handsome fella but by the time I came along he was old and wrinkled and just Grandpa, you know? He liked playing pool and writing poetry but I didn't know either of those things till well after he'd gone.
ReplyDeleteI want to die the way Grandpa did, if I can: a ride to the shops earlier on his bike, a bath, and then a heart attack on the bed. That way, thanks very much.
Thanks Mike. I'm, sorry you lost him so young. I was very young when my dad's dad died, but my other grand parents were around a long time.
ReplyDeleteSue - He sounds like a very interesting guy. Yes, to go quickly and peacefully would be the way.
Thanks, both of you. I appreciate it...the memories are so important. I hope I will be the kind of grandmother my grandkids will remember fondly.
ReplyDeleteErin,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry. :(
Thank you, very much.
ReplyDeleteThe service was perfect, beautiful, a tribute to an amazing life. Lots of family I don't see very often, food and even the sun shone!
That's so good to hear. I'm sure you're also glad it's over.
ReplyDeleteIt was exhausting. It doesn't help that I am sick and it took all day,and grief is exhausting anyway. I was much worse yesterday (the next day) and today. Sigh. But yes, glad it's over.
ReplyDelete