My last remaining grandparent, Artha Robinson, passed away last Saturday. I’m glad to have known her and my grandfather well, to have been able to visit with them and laugh together. I will miss grandma, although I’m glad that she is free from physical pain. As my grandfather often said, “growing old is not for the faint of heart.”
Grandma always expressed interest in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She cared deeply for others and would go out of her way to help them. During the past few years, she read books to one of her neighbors who had lost her eyesight.
I remember eating with my grandparents, and finding out that dinner didn’t just include one vegetable — it included two or three, because eating plenty of vegetables is a healthy habit. Meals included a myriad of vitamin supplements, because they wanted to live good and long lives. Grandpa liked to do the grocery shopping, and they’d prepare meals together.
Grandma would jump on her indoor exercise trampoline and do aerobics. Grandpa gardened, and went walking.
They did their own taxes, and every year when April 15th rolled around, the kitchen table would be filled with papers and folders, and they’d file for an extension so they could finish.
It seemed that even when grandma felt terrible, she had her hair done beautifully.
Grandma was the hub of our extended family, and now that she’s gone, it will be interesting to see how well we stay in touch. Perhaps Facebook will help that process along, but it’s not as good at forming relationships and renewing friendships as getting together, face-to-face.