Granny & Me
I’d like to share a few words about Margaret, who most of us called Granny.
For as long as I remember, Granny has been there for me. If she were here today, she would ask me how long we’ve been friends. I would stop, pretend to think, and say “40 years Granny.” And she would say to me, “that’s a long time to have such a good friend.” And I think that sums up my relationship with Granny. She was more than just my Grandmother. She was a friend, who helped make me the man I am today.
When I think back, Granny was always there… not only for me, but for her entire family. She would tell stories of the sisters as children, teens & adults: Aunt Nita’s sense of style, Aunt Arline’s propensity for neatness, Aunt Jenny’s place as a high-achiever, and my mother, Phyllis’s, for her spirited sense of adventure.
Granny would also speak fondly of the men her daughters’ married. She even made sure each one of knew that there was a no-return policy. Granny was quick to point out how she didn’t have any sons of her own, but she treated each of her son-in-laws as her own and welcomed them as part of the family. And quite a family it was: her four daughters gave her 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and even two great-great grandchildren.
And speaking of family, how many here remember the family gatherings? It seemed like we were always eating and there was always plenty of food. It seemed like we had get togethers every week. We would have them for birthdays, Easter, mother’s day, father’s day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We would have them at the fishing hole, at the park, at Aunt Nita’s pool, camping, at people’s houses and, of course, Odessa.
Maybe that’s why Granny always welcomed people into the family. She used to tell me stories of how she was welcomed with open arms into the Anderson family. That was over 67 years ago. Let that settle in for a moment, Granny and Pop were married for 67 years. How much of an inspiration were they for all of us. A couple, still in love, after so many years. Two people, seemingly inseparable. It’s a true love story of two people whose love endured.
Make no mistake, while Granny was kind and welcoming, she also had expectations. Finish school. Go to work. Behave. Nobody wanted to get on Granny’s bad side or she might give you that look or that Granny finger. She also had an amazing knack of premonition. She seemed to know when something was going to happen or something wasn’t going right. She would ask, you would tell her and she would act like you were just confirming what she knew.
Today, as I stand up here, remembering my grandmother, I realize what an impact she had on my life. She was always there for me, able to comfort me in a way nobody else could. She looked out for me, talked with me, and had advice for me. She encouraged me, she taught me, and she even set me straight a couple of times. And I’m sure everyone else in this gathering, who knew Granny could say the same.
