Grammy (with the white hair)

Grammy "with the white hair" (as my kids called her)
was born on March 19, 1920 and died on March 5, 2012
in Salt Lake City.

Jeff and I were able to go to Utah this past week for her memorial
service and to spend time with lots of extended family.

At the memorial service,
all of the grandchildren were given a chance to share a memory
about Grammy. Since I am the oldest grandchild
AND since my brothers and I had her to ourselves for 13 years,
I went first and this is what I shared:

I am the oldest of 19 grandchildren and Pop-Pop likes to call me "Doodle-Bug". My memories of Grammy are as a young and fun grandmother. She was my first piano teacher. She loved to swim and was the only grandma at the pool who would go underwater, open her eyes, and have a tea party with you on the bottom. She taught me how to play "Solitaire" with her pretty bridge cards and we liked to cross-stitch together. She taught me to share my talents and loved to hear me sing, play the piano and violin. She loved to look good and let me pick out a necklace and earrings from her large jewelry collection to keep and wear at my senior prom.

When I went away to school at BYU, Grammy & Pop-Pop were my other set of parents and my home-away-from-home. They rescued me many times and would pick me up and bring me to their place for the weekend. When I had to have my wisdom teeth out, Grammy sat and watched - in horror perhaps - but I asked her to stay with me and she agreed.

When I got engaged, it was Grammy who took me dress shopping and helped me pick out my wedding dress. A few years later, when I lost my wedding ring, it was Grammy's opal ring that I wore to replace it. When Jeff and I graduated and moved to Salt Lake from Provo, Pop-Pop and Grammy finished their basement and built us a beautiful apartment. We lived with them for a year and what fun it was! My favorite part was waking up on Saturday mornings at 8:00 am to hear "The Brave Little Jazz Band" rehearsing "Tiahuana Taxi"!

When we decided to start a family, I had a miscarriage while Jeff was away for work. It was Grammy who went to the doctor with me and let me cry on her shoulder. She helped me feel better and told me that I would have many children and be a mother someday... She was right.

I could go on & on...She was a wonderful example of love to me and my family. I'm grateful for the important role she played throughout my life. She has finished her sojourn here on Earth and I look forward to seeing her smile again in the hereafter.

Pop-Pop and I at Grammy's viewing.
I love this guy. He's the cutest 91-year-old I know!



After the memorial service,
we let 70 balloons off into the sky!
70 balloons for 70 years together for Grammy & Pop-Pop.

Jeff conducted the service and
he also gave a talk on the Plan of Salvation.
I'm so glad he was able to come with me.

Pop-Pop doing what he does best....giving directions.

Scott & Jeff doing what they do best...acting goofy.
While drinking big gulps.

Grammy loved having fun with her family.
And if she had been in our car on the way home that day,
she would have giggled right along with us
and would have joined in the "Cheers!"
in honor of the wonderful life she lived!