Thursday, June 07, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #36

Grandma's 90th Birthday Bash 2004



Thirteen Things About Grandma



1. She was born in 1914 That was before women could vote.



2. She was the third of 10 siblings.



3. She remembered living without electricity or indoor plumbing.



4. She lived in Michigan, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska before settling in Phoenix, Oregon with her husband and three children on the same property she lived in until Tuesday morning.



5. Her husband built the house she was living in out of the materials from the decrepit house that was on the property when they bought it and which they'd lived in for a decade or so and finished raising their kids in. He had the help of many family members including his two sons and eldest grandson, my husband, who helped build Grandma's house by bringing a hammer up the ladder to Grandpa who had yelled for 'someone' to 'bring me a hammer.' After his two-year-old grandson poked his head over the rim of the roof, Grandpa learned to be more specific.



6. Her husband died in 1967. She was a widow longer than she was married.



7. She loved birds. She used to have an aviary on the property but for many decades she was content with scattering bird houses, bird feeders, and bird seed within view of all the windows.



8. Grandma loved children. Her fondest memories from childhood were of carrying 'my Mama's babies about'. Talking about 'my Mama's babies' was one of her favorite subjects during those times I hung out with her in the last three years.


9. Her yard and home in Phoenix became a gathering place for the neighborhood kids until well past the time her own kids were grown.



10. She was a Sunday School teacher for many years.



11. Many of those kids brought their own kids and/or grand kids to Grandma's 90th birthday party three years ago


She would have been 93 on July 6.



12. Among those missing her are 6 grand kids, 12 great-grand kids and 2 great-great grand kids. And her beloved Spot, faithful companion of the last 16+ years.

13. She was tiny and would have lived on candy if allowed. She ate as much candy and fruit as she liked without gaining an ounce. Which is probably why, from September through May she was always chilly and became known for the ubiquitous blanket, especially in the mornings and evenings.




Links to other Thursday Thirteens!


1. Crimson Wife 2. Jamie 3. Tink 4. Ingrid 5. MommyBa 6. Thomma Lyn 7. Toni 8. Susan Helene Gottfried 9. amy 10. gabriella hewitt 11. RED GARNIER 12. Wylie Kinson 13. Sparky Duck 14. L^2 15. Lori 16. Ann 17. Kerrio 18. julia19. Rhian / Crowwoman




(leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)






Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Update: While I was here adding visitor's links to the front page, I fixed the formatting issues causing the acres of extra space and while I was at it, I edited #5 to clarify that this was my husband's Grandma and #12 to include her dog, Spot, among those missing her. I couldn't believe I'd left Spot out. Spot was one of the primary focuses of her days in the last three years. The two of them were inseparable and, it could be said, on a race to the finish line.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to leave their kind condolences.

19 tell me a story:

Crimson Wife 6/06/2007 10:15 PM  

Happy birthday to your grandma! May she live to be 100 or more :-)

Jamie 6/06/2007 11:05 PM  

I'm sorry that Ed's family lost such a loveable woman. I hope everyone will keep the happy memories.

Tink 6/07/2007 12:41 AM  

What an incredible woman; you made this TT a lovely tribute!
Thanks for visiting my Google TT.

Marie 6/07/2007 12:47 AM  

oh my! what an interesting grandma you have!!! 10 siblings . . . that's so cool!!! great T13 list this week!

DigiscrapMom 6/07/2007 12:59 AM  

A lovely tribute to a beautiful woman inside and out :)

Happy Thursday!

Anonymous,  6/07/2007 1:46 AM  

Wow, your grandma sounds like a wonderful woman. And it's amazing how much she has in common with my grandma, who lived to be 100 and passed on two years ago. Both were widowed in 1967 and were widows longer than they were married. My grandma was one of 7 siblings, and like yours, she loved birds and children.

Thank you for sharing your grandma with us! She sounds like a treasure.

Happy TT, and thanks for visiting my blog. :)

Special K ~Toni 6/07/2007 4:26 AM  

Wow! Sorry for your lost- makes you realize how far we have come in 90 + years!

Mine is up at Being An Air Force Wife

Susan Helene Gottfried 6/07/2007 4:42 AM  

Joy Renee, that is SUCH a gorgeous tribute, I'm sorry I don't know your family better and didn't get a chance to meet your grandmother. What a wonderful lady!

Condolences from me and the goofs at West of Mars -- as you can see, there IS more underneath those rocking and rolling personas.

Happy TT.

Unknown 6/07/2007 4:44 AM  

what a beautiful post!!!

Anonymous,  6/07/2007 5:14 AM  

What a beautiful tribute. She sounds special. At least you all realized how special she was. Your love comes through quite clear. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. Hug the memories close and she'll never be far away.

Red Garnier 6/07/2007 7:32 AM  

Grandmas are always so special. I love this dedication to her - she's beautiful inside and out. Thanks for sharing this little piece of your heart with us.

Wylie Kinson 6/07/2007 9:11 AM  

What a lovely tribute. I didn't have a Grandma growing up -- sadly, she passed the year before I was born. Thanks for sharing yours.

Sparky Duck 6/07/2007 10:58 AM  

what a very sweet post. You all were very lucky to have her and her wisdom for that long.

L^2 6/07/2007 11:34 AM  

I'm so sorry for your family's loss Joy. It sounds like she was a wonderful woman.
Like Wylie, I didn't have a Grandma growing up - they died before I was born - but I always appreciate when people share about theirs.

Lori 6/07/2007 12:12 PM  

What a great lady.....I miss all of my grandma's. How blessed we are to know them and to learn from them:)

Ann 6/07/2007 8:00 PM  

What a wonderful tribute. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Kerrio 6/08/2007 12:51 AM  

What a beautiful tribute, I think she would have been proud to be loved so much.

Julia Phillips Smith 6/08/2007 5:48 AM  

That was a beautiful TT, Joy. My deepest wishes for you and your family to find comfort in your wonderful memories. She sounded like a beautiful soul! Now she's as close as a thought. Always with you.

Rhian 6/08/2007 6:29 AM  

what a great grandma story!! Mine lived to be 92 but passed away a few years ago as well. I hope i age to be feisty like her.

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