Grandma B
April 15, 2013
One of my heroes is gone. On Saturday evening, my
grandmother, Vivian Burch Holmes, passed away at the age of 97.
My grandma was my hero because she was so full of life,
interested in living and in other people right up until the end. Until
recently, she went to hospitals and nursing homes to visit and play bingo with
the “old people.” She lived independently until November, when the effects of a
small stroke made it too hard for her to climb the stairs to her basement-level
apartment. I know she found it very difficult to move to an assisted living
facility near my aunt, leaving her friends, her church and her independence
behind.
I didn’t know my grandma as well as I would have liked. For
all of my growing up years, I lived in California
and she lived in Virginia . I
visited her a time or two, and she came out to California
a couple times as well, notably for my high school graduation. She wrote to me
regularly, even up until a few weeks before her death. I’m so glad I wrote back
and she was able to hear and understand my letter before she died. I always
thought of her as Grandma Burch, even when she remarried after my grandfather
died. (Her second husband passed away some years ago.)
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| Happy Birthday, Grandma! |
Even with our sporadic contact, I have many happy memories
of Grandma. She tried to teach me how to crochet (I never advanced beyond one
long string of yarn) and she did teach me how to do candlewicking. One of my
favorite memories is of the time she came to visit us in Florida ,
and my dad and stepmom came from California ,
when Nick was about 3. It was near Grandma’s birthday, so every time we went
out to eat, we told the servers it was her birthday, and they came and sang to
her. The best time was at a Mexican restaurant where they made her wear a giant
sombrero while they serenaded her. You can see by her big smile she’s enjoying
the experience! Other memories of that visit include a trip to Disney World,
and a looong toy guitar “concert” given by Nick out on our lanai which everyone
endured more or less patiently.
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| Four generations: Nick, Grandma, me, my dad. |
9 comments
Kathy - I'm so sorry for your loss. I know you'll miss your grandma but it sounds like she had a long full life and passed peacefully. You have some good memories of her; I hope those memories provide some comfort for you in the days and weeks ahead. I love the photo of her with the sombrero - she looks so happy.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear of your loss. May your memories be comforting.
ReplyDeleteYour grandma sounds like a truly remarkable person. May her legacy live on well into the lives of all those whom she has touched. Take care!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Claire and Michelle. I appreciate your kind words.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your grandma--no matter the age or how rich a life a person has led, she will be missed! It sounds as though you have some very fond memories of her to keep close at heart. You have my sympathies!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Danielle. I appreciate your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you lost your grandmother. I hope someday my grand kids will feel as loved by me and think as highly of me as you seem to have by and of your grandmother. Cherish your memories.
ReplyDeleteTimaree--Thank you for your kind comments. I hope your grandkids appreciate you, too!
ReplyDeleteCheryl--I just found your comment in the spam filter--I'm so sorry I missed it! Thank you for your kind words. My grandma was a lovely person, and I think she was a happy and loved one, too. We can't really ask for better, can we?
ReplyDelete