Our dear grandmother had stroke on Wednesday, June 26th. We knew a couple days before that her body wasn't making her enough blood, but it was still a bit of a surprise for us. She held onto life for another week and 2 days after her stroke, then went to meet her Savior. She rose to see Jesus July 5th around 4:45 a.m.
Mother had come into the girls room to tell us about Grandma's death. Patience and I got up, but Tali I guess we could say was a sound sleeper. We woke her up about 10 minutes later.
This picture shows Grandma in a resturant with her two eldest daughters, Nancy and Patsy. They are all wearing kakui nut leis, a popular item in Hawaii.
You may be wandering why Hawaii seems to be so important to our Grandmother. Well, it was in Hawaii that she first met the wonderful love of her life, married, and had most of her children. Though originally from Idaho, her love for Hawaii seemed to never die.
This is Grandma during a tour in the Holy Lands...that is the Dead Sea behind her!
Young Grandma in Hawaii with a flowery lei.
Grandmother and grandchild...
It's so funny!! This is at Mama and Papa's wedding ceremony. Grandma is laughing at Daddy after he said that he married Mama because she was crazy like his Mom. :)
Mother and son on Daddy's big day.
I encourage you all to read it.
Dad did a really good job.
Monday, July 8th was grandma's funeral.
Grandma always enjoyed hearing Rick, her son, play piano. He played for her funeral ceremony.
The chapel for the funeral was connected to the nursing home grandma was at. This made it possible for many of the nuns serving there to attend her funeral with us.
No, she is not dead...she is ALIVE, with Jesus!!!!
These are some of her funeral flowers. Notice the orange flowers. They are called birds of paradise. The Bible doesn't have much to say about there being birds in heaven, but they are a very real reminder to me of where Grandma has gone and will stay.
It was hard not to cry while singing at her funeral. Letting go of a loved one isn't easy, but as the leaves of a tree are most beautiful when they are dying, when we die to ourselves, God's glory can be seen in the most glorious array of colors.
Her life remembrance brochure said "With God there are no endings, only endless beginnings."
Grandma lived her life to the full. As you have already read, she traveled constantly, even in her wheelchair with dimensa she would talk about going back to Hawaii or going to Ireland with Patsy. As her outward body was no doubt passing away, the things that were most important to her heart became more clear. She was very selfless. No one cookie was her own. To our endless dismay, whenever another person was in the room, she would offer them bits and peices of her cookies and other food items! She always wanted to help. She never said anything bad about anyone, she had a very positive personality. She always smiled and never griped. There are so many other good things I could mention about her character, but they are too many to list here.
Those who knew her will never forget all the funny things she would do and say. One time Daddy took her to a doctors appointment and as they were sitting in the waiting room, Dad noticed that Grandma had forgotten her hearing aids. "Mom." He said, rather loudly. "You forgot to put in your hearing aids again this morning." Grandma replied. "I don't really need them." Daddy reminded her that sometimes she had a hard time hearing people talk to her. Grandma's reply was, "That's ok, I have a good imagination."
The number of those stories are also too many to record. Grandma was a priceless treasure of greatest worth. If anyone was blessed with a good Grandma, it was us.
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