This past weekend we celebrated the life of my Grandma Minnie, who passed away at the age of 78 of Alzheimer’s, a disease which she has had for the past 10 years. In some ways her death was a welcomed thing: she now has a new body and mind in heaven and is with Christ, and she is no longer suffering. It also was very sad and hard, especially because she got the disease at such a young age, and my children never really got to meet the Grandma Minnie I knew.
The Grandma Minnie I knew never seemed old, never looked old. She lived minutes away from me and I saw her at least once a week, probably more. Every memory I have of her is happy. I never saw her angry, never heard her complain or speak ill of someone else. She was gentle, kind and patient. She loved and served the Lord. 1 Peter 3: 4 says, “But let your adorning be the hidden person of heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” This verse describes Grandma Minnie perfectly. When she first heard the news of her disease from the doctor, she did as we all would, and thought, “Why me?” But after several days, she came to the conclusion, “Why not me?” She later told my mom, “Who am I to accept the good, but not the bad?” Now that is faith.
Grandma Minnie was a hairdresser for 20 years, running her own business. I remember her smelling like her shop, and the knobby knuckles on her hands from so much use. Each fall before school she would give Katie, Kristi, Caitlin and I perms. Who else was lucky enough in the 80’s to have a Grandma who could keep one’s hair permed?
I have my Grandma Minnie to thank for my jaw line (I was always told that I looked like her side of the family, the Canon's) and for my enormous feet. I thank her for my knowledge of canning, which she taught my mom, as well as how to make homemade tortillas. I wish I could make turkey noodle soup, homemade macaroni and cheese, and fresh applesauce like her—not that I don’t try!
The four of us cousins spent every Monday in the summer at Grandma’s house. We thought it was the best! Oh the things we thought up at Grandma’s house. One summer it was playing the Oregon Trail, trekking back and forth across her back lawn using a huge box as our wagon. Another summer we spent hours at her counter bar creating pretend families and documenting their lives in a notebook (we all had 10+ children, and many sets of twins and triplets). We even had a club, the Bubble Gum club, that did some pretty hairy detective work, like trying to figure out where Grandma was getting all that “gold” (petrified wood in her backyard).
In hindsight, our parents didn’t bring us to Grandma Minnie’s house on New Year’s Eve for our benefit only (they probably were thrilled to have an evening to hang out with adult friends). But we loved this tradition! We’d stay up until Midnight, fixing Grandma’s hair with her special beautician clips, making confetti, and would ring her cowbell and flush the toilets (Katie’s idea we swear) to bring in the New Year.
When we reached high school and got active in sports, Grandma was our biggest fan. She rarely missed a game (at home or on the road) and our quiet little Grandma wouldn’t be quite so tentative in the stands. She especially loved volleyball and in later years we’d often find her at home watching tapes of our old State volleyball games. Even as we played in college, she’d travel up to Salem to watch us for the weekend.
Doesn’t she sound amazing? She was. Even in her last years, as Alzheimer’s stole her mind, she was a blessing to her caregivers. Her sweet spirit continued, she loved to hear the Bible read out loud, and she would give a hand squeeze or “I love you” at just the right moment.
I’ve thought a lot about my Grandma Minnie these past couple of weeks. I’ve missed her a lot. I wish my husband and my children could have known the Grandma Minnie I grew up with. I’ve been challenged to follow in her Godly example of a woman with a gentle and quiet spirit, whose beauty continues through even the greatest challenges.
Thank you Grandma Minnie for the life you shared with me. I miss you. 
Check out those perms!
She went to Disney Land with us
I love you Grandma Minnie!
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