Till We Meet Again

This past week my family has said goodbye to two people we love dearly.  My Grandmother and Auntie Cherie. 
   My Aunt Cherie was my Dad's sister.  I honestly wish I had know her better, more as an adult.   I always remember making the trip to Washington almost every summer.  Always went to see our Grandparents, brothers and Auntie Cherie.  She was funny and always nice to me.  I loved to hear the stories she would tell us about our dad's misspent youth.  I remember one where my Dad and Uncle John had left Uncle Steve in a hole some where.  She also had great fashion sense.  She had her nose pierced and loved her hooker shoes.  she was an amazing lady. 

(L to R)  Joan, Steve, my Dad, Cherie, and John

My dad, Joan, John, Cherie, and Steve

At my Papa's 90th Birthday party.  My Dad, Joan, Cherie and Steve  (Uncle John passed in 2003)

This was taken in 2012.  The girls loved meeting my cousin Doreen and Auntie Cherie. 

My Grandmother was a special lady.  She was amazing artist, business woman, and teacher.  She taught her self to tole paint.  She even owned a business and taught others to paint.  I remember as a kid going to visit her shop.  It smelled of wood.  I love that smell.  There is a store here called the Wood Connection that smells just like her shop.  She would always come for Christmas.  Grandpa would never come because he hated to fly.   I remember one year she gave me and Sarah these baby dolls with tons of outfits.  I found them in a box when I was moving, sad they were too damaged to keep.   She was a stronger then most people realized.  I didn't learn most of it till I was an adult.  She survived through the  Great Depression.  Her father died of stomach cancer when she was a child.  Her mother raised her and siblings on her own.  Grandma always made sure her mother was taken care of.  Even when she had to put her in a rest home she made sure she was taken care of.  She would go every day and make sure she was clean, dressed and had her hair and make up done.   She was independent and always spoke her mind.  She loved Jeopardy and Alex Trebek.  Heaven help you if you called during it.  When Jeopardy came to Seattle he had her front and center.  I always said if she was younger she would have been stalking him.  She had his home address and they exchanged cards.  When I got older I decided to start writing her every week not sure what started it.  But the past six years we exchanged letters.  Though there were times I couldn't read half of what was written.  (When I was a teenager she was diagnosed with Macular degeneration where she was slowly going blind.)  One of my favorite memories was her winning tickets to an ice show.  She could barely see but she wanted me to take her to it.  She was so happy.  I will miss her and love her forever.  I know she is back with my Grandpa.  She probably gave him a lecture upon arrival.   

Wasn't she a cute baby.  She said she hated her hair because she was a red head

With her siblings

I love this picture of my Mom and Grandma

One of my favorites

My Mom, Grandpa Sid, and Grand Imogene

Grandma with Chris and Matt in Washington

Me, Sarah and Grandma in the traditional departure photo

Grandma with Monica.  (My brother Alan's daughter)

With her true love

The last Christmas she came up to Alaska holding her great granddaughter Emma (Chris's daughter)

With our girls in 2012

Her art