Yesterday, we laid my maternal grandmother Eleanor, known as Ellie, to rest in Cape Cod. She turned 90 in May and we just saw her at big party my mom held in her honor. My cousin Kristy asked all of us cousins for photos and put together a beautiful 5 minute montage that captured my Grammy’s life. I knew the next time I saw it, it would likely be at her funeral but didn’t expect it to be just 2 weeks later. She seemed to be in good health but at 90, I should have known better.
After 3 years of various health complications, I think she finally made her peace and was ready to be reunited with her husband (my grandfather) who passed away in 2001 and her mother, who died when she was just 7 years old of pneumonia.
I’m glad that Tommy was able to meet her even if he will not remember. I never met any of my great grand parents. It’s remarkable how quickly medical advances have been made.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about this on my blog but since I’m a news junkie and have been feeling really anxious watching it lately, I like to think that having a grandparent live to 90 is kind of a happy story. It’s never easy to lose a loved one, but knowing they lived a decade shy of 100 years is pretty amazing. I hope I am as fortunate as well as the rest of my loved ones.
We will always have her to thank for introducing us to our favorite beach in Cape Cod. Her and my grandfather bought a house in East Dennis back in the 1969 and as a result, my parents bought one down the street when my siblings and I were young. I’ve been spending my summers for as long as I can remember in Dennis and now I have too many life long friends from there to count. I met Nick through one of them so it’s weird to think how different my life might be if they had chosen another town.
The weirdest part about her passing is the realization of time passing. I have a child, I am a parent, my mother is now mainly a grandmother. We are the next generation and time is passing so much quicker than I ever could have imagined. It makes me feel pressured almost to be more adult like.
Thank you for all your condolences on social media but I’d rather celebrate the good life my grandmother lived than mourn. I cry when I’m happy so don’t think I haven’t shed my share of tears, but during this crazy time we are living in, an amazing woman who knew how to love with all her heart is worth remembering with tears of happiness not grief.
All my cousins came down for the services except one who just recently moved to London. It was particularly special to have my brother here from the west coast. He got to meet Tommy and who got to spend lots of time with his cousin Dylan, too.
You’d never know they are 5 months apart. And of course with my brother in town, to celebrate my mom’s birthday, which was the day before the funeral, we ate lobster rolls from the Sesuit Harbor Marina, an East Dennis specialty.
Summer can officially begin now that I have had one.
Before the services, I used the jogging stroller for actual running for the first time. Tommy didn’t hate it…
But it is really heavy to push. I thought my triceps would be sore but they weren’t. I’m using a Chicco Tre that was sent to me before he was born. We used it in the snow early on and just now tried using it to go a little faster. I still didn’t break a 10 minute mile, but we both were done after 3.5 miles.
We will see if it gets any easier…
But for now, give you parents and grandparents regular calls to let them know you love them. We really don’t know when our last time might be.
She was beautiful, Sarah. Best wishes to you and your family as you recall all the great memories with your grandmother.
I recently just lost my grandmother at 90 and I felt the same way. That I immediately got bumped up to a “new generation.” She’ll always be with you.
Beautiful article, Sarah
Your grandmother seems to be a beautiful person, inside and out. I send my prayers to you and your loved ones.