To Grandma, July 29, 1923 - June 16, 2009

My grandma passed away yesterday at 10:55 am. She leaves behind her only child (my mom), son-in-law (my dad), my brother and I, her sister Bea, her nephew Jeffrey, extended family, and many loving friends.

After going to see her one last time yesterday, my parents, brother and I spent the day together. We cried, we ate (and later ate again), we told stories both funny and sad, and we went through dozens of photo albums looking back on my grandma's life.

While I've always loved and respected her, the older I've gotten the more this love and respect has grown. She was a really interesting and classy lady. I've always been impressed by her poise and style. Over the past few years she's changed, losing memories and forgetting faces. But through all of this the core of her stayed the same: sweet, nurturing, easy going. I feel blessed to have known her and to have spent the time we had with her.

Yesterday, after going through pictures we uploaded them to the computer, and I'd like to share a few.

Grandma and her younger sister Bea and older sister Betty.



A beautiful woman, who loved my grandfather very much .









The woman who taught my mom to be such a great mom.




Three generations. From the left: Aunt Bea, my great-grandma, Aunt Betty, and Grandma. And of course, my mom seated in front.



When my brother and I came along my grandmother spent time with us, sharing in some of our mutual favorite things, like:

Reading



Naps



And being silly





Thanks grandma for being a great part of my life. I love you and will think of you when I hear the 1812 overture (which always made her cry), participate in tea parties, or meet anyone as nurturing and kind as you.