Starting with my Grandma Marlene, as soon as our family heard the news, we all flew down to Palm Desert to be together. Her passing was such a shock that the whole trip seemed very surreal. I am thankful that our whole family was able to be down there and support each other. We held a memorial service for Grandma at the Fitzhenry-Wiefels Funeral Home on May 1st...May Day. This day has special memories for me of her. When I was little, my mom and I would get flowers for Grandma then take them to her house on Mercer Island. We would put the flowers on her doorstep, ring the doorbell, then hide around the corner. Grandma would answer and wonder out loud who the flowers could be from. I thought it was the funniest thing (easily amused).
The service was very touching. My uncle told a few funny stories to remember her by, and a poem was read that my grandpa wrote to her on their 60th wedding anniversary. Her friends from the area were able to join, as well as my Auntie Gloria (her sister) and Uncle Bill. There were pictures of her on display surrounded by beautiful flowers.
I have such fond memories of times together with her to look back on. I'm also grateful that I was able to keep some of her (very stylish) jewelry which makes me happy to wear and remember her by. I think about her everyday, and miss her a lot.
My Grandma Dorothy passed away just a short week later. I was actually staying at our family's cabin out near Shelton when my dad called me with the news. It had been years since I stayed at the lake house, but there I was, in the one place that I have the most memories of Grandma. We'd stay at the lake during the Summer and pick blackberries for her to make her delicious blackberry pies.
Her memorial was held a couple months later on June 30th. Clint and I drove down to Aberdeen and first stopped at the cemetery where a short ceremony was held. My dad and his three siblings told some fond memories of Grandma, then we showered her headstone, along with her parents and brother's, with rose petals. From there we went to the Aberdeen Museum of History. Lunch was held, a beautiful slideshow that my cousin Michael put together was shown, and all four kids spoke about their mom. It was a great tribute and nice to see so many friends and family join together to remember her.
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| My dad |
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| My aunt Virginia (Grandma's sister) and me. Actually, we are sisters as well...Aunt Virginia lived in the very same Chi Omega house while she attended UW! |
After the museum, we took a drive over to the house my grandma grew up in...which just happens to be a historical landmark in Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Mansion. It is a ginormous beautiful yellow house that has since been turned into a B&B. The owners have now shut down the B&B and are trying to sell it, but are living in this beautiful home just the two of them in the mean time. On the day of Grandma's memorial, they opened up their home to us and hosted her friends and family to come take a tour of where she lived while growing up. The place is amazing, and was pretty exciting to finally see it from the inside. We ate blackberry pie and listened to stories from my aunt Virginia about the house when they were little.
My uncle Dave and aunt Tina also had a beautiful necklace made for me. It's a silver "charm" necklace of my grandmother's thumb print. The back has her initials as well. I've worn it almost everyday since, and love having a unique way to remember her by.
It was a special day, and I'm happy that I was able to spend it with family.
To both my grandmas, from your favorite (and only) grand daughter, I love you and miss you very much!
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