The passing of a great lady!

My grandmother- Nana to all of her grandchildren- passed away on Aug. 26. She was 102 years old. In October she would have been 103. Her obituary in the paper didn't do her justice. It didn't mention the clubs she was involved in like the Republican Women's club, or the Garden Club, or others. It didn't say she was the Mayor's wife for many years of a growing by leaps and bounds community. It didn't even have her picture. ~ I don't know which of my relatives put it in the paper, but they didn't do a good job.

She was going down hill the last 6 or 7 months. Sometimes she would sleep through most of a visit when we came to see her. She would usually repeat herself after 10 minutes and ask the same questions again. But she was one great lady.

 

This is her and my grandfather with me on my wedding day. She must have been 67 here. I think she looks pretty good for 67! ~ I spent a lot of time with my grandparents while I was growing up. My father died when I was 4. He was 28. He died of viral encephalitis. It got into his spinal column when he was about 12 (german measles) and it gradually got worse over the next 14 years of his life. ~ I would spend 2 or 3 days at a time at my grandparents house. Wednesdays was our out to dinner night every week. ~ Oh did I mention, I was the first grand daughter born into the family! What fun! 

Here is another one of my grandmother holding our first son D, when he was baptized. He was wearing my father's christening gown. You can't see it in the picture, but it had tiny pleats all the way around, and my grandmother pressed them all for the baptism! 

Our son is 34 now.

This is Nana and my Aunt D last summer. She went out on their party boat on the lake in Maine. She was always a person to do everything exciting! She even went on the log flume at the amusement pier at the boardwalk. One time not too many years ago she mentioned to my aunt that she and my grandfather (he passed away in '93) had traveled to many countries, but one thing she never did was go on the Concord. So my aunt and uncle bought her a ticket for the Concord and surprised her with it! She was so excited! She went for the ride out and back. What an experience! Oh and she also rode her horses everyday until she was 75!

She was the one who taught me how to set a proper table, to get the wrinkles out of a newly made bed, to write thank you notes, to swim! She and my grandfather were a huge part of my life. And now..... she is with him - oh how joyful she must be! 

                                                             She will be sorely missed

. 

                                                             Eva Annie Davis Gilmour