Honoring My Grandma

I did an interview for Community Cares for the Support Connection Newsletter. You can download a copy if you click on the Support Connection link on this page. Than look for the Spring Newsletter. I am in the Survivors section. They did a nice job!

As many of you know, my grandmother passed away last week. I went to Nebraska for her funeral. She will be missed. My family is taking donations in her memory and donating it to Community Cares. I was very touched and honored.

I gave a eulogy to honor her memory. Here it is:

When I thought about saying a few words about my grandma, I started thinking about a million stories, memories, trips we've taken. How she's been there my whole life and been to everything no matter where I lived, or what it was for. It's difficult to boil it all down into a few words, so I'll just highlight some of my recollections.

My grandmother has been there for me my whole life, 43 years... but that's not even half her life. She had a whole life before I was born. I often thought of her growing up in Minnesota, going to the lake, spending time with her family. She went to Johnson High School and graduated in 1932 and she ran track. I know, she gave me her class ring because I graduated in 1982 and I also attempted to run track. She worked at Montgomery Wards, married my grandpa when she was 21, and had a little baby girl, my mother, for her 22 birthday. At their 50th wedding anniversary I found out that they eloped and got married. After they had my mom, they had two more children, which turned into 9 grandchildren, which turned into more than 14 great grand children. They were married for 60 years. She taught me something about commitment.

My grandma was sweet, funny, humble, solid gold, self confident, generous, honest and strong. She was one of those people who would give you the shirt off her back, yet was uncomfortable taking anything back. If I bought dinner she was always digging in her purse to pay for her share (just like my mom). She deserved diamonds and gold and riches, but was happy with what she had. She was a true giver, always giving of herself, never asking for anything return, and never expecting anything in return. She taught me something about generosity.

I never heard her yell, cuss, never drink more than one glass of wine, I never heard her gossip or talk bad about anyone. She taught me about self control.

One of my greatest memories in my life, not just of my grandma was when we went to Sweden, with my mom, Diane, and Grandma. Spending time with her in Sweden is one of those gifts in life that don't come along that often. Going from house to house, tracing our families history, hearing stories, visiting churches, seeing pictures of her family. We were welcomed like royalty in Sweden by everyone and I know that was because of the great respect and love for my grandma. Everyone loved and respected her. From every walk of life, everyone who met her. She taught me something about respect, giving it and receiving it.

She didn't always have it easy, and life was sometimes hard, but you never knew it. She walked on, head held high, no complaints, no mater how she felt or how hard times may have been. She taught me something about humility.

I remember as a child always getting together at my grandparent's house for dinner. We would go over to their house and play tag, watch home movies, play cards, play in the basement. When we were kids the yard and grandma's house seemed so much bigger and so much fun. First thing we'd do is open the drawer in the dining room and pull out some crayons and coloring books. She made the best oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. She made the best chocolate pies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies. She made the best Christmas cookies, which she made every Christmas, even this past Christmas. She always made pies at Thanksgiving, cookies for Christmas. After church, we would stop by and she'd take out her homemade sweet rolls, always ready when someone dropped by. She taught me the comfort of home and tradition.

My grandma was there for everything from birthday's and dance recitals, to baptisms and weddings, from the birth of my children to my cancer treatments. And I know she was there for all of her children and grand children, and even her great grandchildren. We always felt like we were the most important, and loved. She taught me something about the importance of family.

Some of my earliest memories are going on trips with my grandparents to the lake or to Minnesota. We would always stop at the gas station and they would buy a sack of candy bars and we would pick which ever candy bar we wanted. I loved that. She told us stories and jokes in the car on the ride. She loved to do puzzles, crochet, and play the piano. Some hobbies I also share with her. As many of you know she liked to go to the boat and put a few dollars in the machines. That was her social life. She enjoyed it! Whenever we got together we always played cards and laughed so hard. That kind of laughter is so genuine and fun and soul cleansing. Some of the best laughs I had in my life were with my grandma. She taught me something about just having fun!

Each of these recollections sounds small and ordinary. My grandmother wasn't rich or famous. She didn't have a big career, or fancy house, or was adored by thousand of fans. But each story adds up to a wonderful extraordinary, special women who was truly great. She is someone to live up to, someone to emulate, someone to tell future generations about. The don't make them like her anymore, but we can remember in our own lives the lessons she taught us, and take them with us. She lives on in each one of us.

I don't know haw many of you listen to country music, but there's a song by Kenny Chesney called don't blink. I goes "take each breath God gives you for what it's worth... Don't Blink, just like that your 6 years old and your taking naps,and you wake up and your 25 hight school sweetheart becomes your wife, don't blink you just might miss your babies growing like mine did, turning into moms and dads, next thing you know your better half of 50 years is there in bed and your praying God takes you instead, trust me friend 100 years goes faster than you think, so don't blink, life goes faster than you think." the last words my grandmother said to me was "I love you", so I'll make them my last now, I love you grandma...We'll see you again someday...