Grandma Gwen

I have a phone conversation with my dad each Sunday. Feb 4th we talked mainly about Brandon's 50th birthday. It had passed a few days before and we were both remarking how strange it was. He mentioned to me they had been to Morgan to see his mom, my grandma, and how she was kinda out of it. "Not even out of bed," he remarked. That was unusual for her. She's 93.5 and has some slight dementia. I don't think either of us gave it a second thought.

Monday he called back and said they had put her on hospice.

Tuesday morning, she had died. Wow! That was quick. Unexpected..... if you can say that for 93.

Damon and I flew out the next day for the services to be held Thursday and Friday.

My sisters gathered at my parents for a chicken dinner before the viewing. It's so rare we are together anymore. Damon snapped some priceless pictures.

Grandma's family line extends to 98 people currently. All of the first generation cousins were there. 18 of us literally grew up as next door neighbor cousins. We are all middle age now. Each person was present, along with some part of their own family. It was fabulous to see my closest childhood friends.

This is my cousin Garrett. He's a few months younger than me. Oh the fun we had growing up together. Time has physically aged us, yet as we chatted for hours, our souls felt ageless. I love this picture Damon snapped.

My Madalyn came and played her cello during the funeral. Friends gave her a last royal ride through town.

She was my grandma that lived right up the street. The grandma that kept an immaculate house. Wore diamonds on many of her fingers. Was all business when it came to working in her restaurant. And the best party thrower.... gift giver you've ever imagined. Santa came to my house........ but Christmas really got going at 3 pm in Grandma's basement!

She was a tough gal that did not take crap from anyone. Born in the early 30's, raised in a family of 6 headed up by a single mother, a teenage bride, 4 kids in 7 years, raised her kids in a 2 room shack with no bathroom. In 1957 her mom loaned them the money to buy a restaurant. They all worked and worked. By the time we came along and were old enough to enjoy holidays and parties..... wealth seemed to be abundant. Perhaps she gave us the childhood neither she nor her children had.

She lived the last 17 years of her life alone. My dad, her oldest child, provided for her financial and physical needs during those years. These are my people.