Celebration of Life and Family Reunion

We had our family reunion this weekend but before we met at the park to do that we met at the cemetery to bury my grandmother's ashes. It was a beautiful service. Very touching and the pastor did a wonderful job. He even wore a pink shirt under his suit jacket because he knew that Grandma was so colorful.

I would like to share the remembrance that I wrote and read at the ceremony.

My Grandma

As I am sure all of you do, I have a lot of memories of Grandma and I just wanted to share some of those today.

Grandma had so much personality. Could there be a grandma with a more colorful wardrobe? Or bigger, wilder costume jewelry? Or a better sense of humor? I know that in my life she was definitely one of a kind.

I remember when Grandma lived on Viola with her awful dog, Ratfink (and was there ever another dog as mean, nasty and ugly as that one?). Yet Grandma loved that mutt so we just steered clear of him.

Her little house was always full of stuff. As a child I had no concept of wealth and I must have thought Grandma was surely rich with all of her little "things". She always had something new to show you that she had just picked up at a yard sale and she always had to tell you about the great price she paid.

And Grandma was always such a child at heart. She was forever buying dolls or stuffed animals or little toys. And you had to be careful because if you admired a toy there was a good chance she would end up sending it home with you.

I remember her white wigs. Even as a child I wondered why she would wear a white wig when she had perfectly good brown hair.

I remember she had weird peppermint liquid soap. She claimed you could use it for EVERYTHING-even for brushing your teeth. I think that may have been a joke because of course I had to taste it once and it was GROSS! But maybe it wasn't a joke?

Grandma liked to tease that she could probably take my husband, C., in a fight. She was definitely feisty. And she loved my boys so very much.

And that was another thing-maybe the best thing-about Grandma. She accepted people warts and all. You didn't have to be perfect to be in her "family". All the people who called her Ma. She could find something good to say about every one of them. I would like to be like that.

I miss her but I like to think that wherever she is now she's dressing flashy and eating dessert first.
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Other people shared their memories too and it was just lovely. Afterwards we met at the park and my aunt shared some of Grandma's journal writings. To read them just made my heart soar. I never knew what a wonderful writer my grandmother was. She had such an intelligence that shined through in her words and her stories could sure make you laugh.

She wrote one little note about my dad and it was very touching. It said (and I am sure I will get a few things wrong) "D. has taken on the role of father to the other children. He has brought dignity to this family. He is such a generous person." I made Dad read it and I think he was quite touched by it too.

It was a very nice reunion. We sang Happy Birthday to Grandma and released balloons and we will all miss her. I hope that the family can continue to carry on with reunions now that she is gone. I worry about that.

I love you Grandma. Be good.