Grandma Mona

A few days ago I received word that my Grandmother in Midland passed away. Last month was her birthday. She was 100 years old.

In her final days she was determined to make it to her 100th birthday. And though her body had begun to fail her she literally willed herself to her big day - simply to show us anything is possible when you want something bad enough. That was the kind of woman my Grandma was. Strong willed, determined, and loving. Traits she carried with her to the very end.

My Grandma lived a pretty amazing life. I know people always seem to say that when they lose a loved one, but in my Grandma's case it's actually true.  I mean, at 100 years just think of all that she saw and witnessed in her lifetime.

She was born on April 8th in 1912 in the village of Douglas on the Isle of Man (an island in the North Sea between England and Ireland.) To put that in perspective that was 2 years before World War I, and 7 days before the sinking of the Titanic. When she was 19 she left the Isle of Man on her own and immigrated to Canada in 1931 determined to make her mark (during a time when women usually didn't do such things.) She eventually settled in Toronto, where she worked for a time as a nanny, and later at the Toronto's Children's Hospital. While in Toronto she also landed a job working for the Wrigley Company selling and promoting Wrigley's Doublemint Gum. 

Here she is modeling in some print ads.  These were done in 1932 when she was "Miss Mint."

In 1936 she made a return voyage back to the Isle of Man, and while aboard the ship she met my Grandfather, who was from Scotland.  The two married a month later on the Isle of Man.  That's right...I said a month later.  They eventually settled down in Detroit, and had 4 children (my Dad, my 2 uncles, and my aunt.)  In the mid-60's they retired, and around 1980 they moved down to Kerrville, Texas.  I have tons of memories of my parents and I driving down to Kerrville from Dallas / Fort Worth and visiting her.  I remember feeding the deer behind her house, and I remember her driving me around the hill country in her "lime green" car (which I thought was the ugliest car I had ever seen.)  Then after my Grandpa died in the late 80's my Grandma eventually moved back to Michigan and settled down in Midland where my uncle lives.

As I got older I had no idea that one day Jenny and I would eventually go from Texas, to Colorado, to Midland, Michigan...but it happened.  I remember when I first told my Grandma over the phone that we were moving to her town.  She was so happy.  I am grateful for the last 12 years I got to spend with her and see her as often as I did.  I know I could have seen her more than I did, but I'm grateful for the chance that I got.  I am also grateful that Ben and Megan got to know her and will remember her as "Great Grandma."  I think I only ever met my Great Grandma once or twice before she died, so I'm happy to know that my children actually had a relationship with their Great Grandma.

The pictures below were taken in December, just days before we left Midland.  And though her health was failing her mind was still very sharp.  She knew we were moving to Zurich, and she encouraged us and cheered us on.  She also knew that it was probably the last time we would see each other.  But she understood.  Like I said earlier, my Grandma had her own share of global voyages and uncertain moves in her days, so she knew the risks and rewards that awaited us.  She always told me she loved seeing new places and doing new things, and she told us we were doing the right thing.

So that's my Grandma.  Many of you who read this blog got to meet her at some point over the years, so you know how special she was.  But for those of you who never met her she was a special person that had a way of lighting up a room with her English accent and grabbing the center of attention.  She loved that.

My Grandma taught me a lot of things over the years, but two things in particular stand out above the rest (both of which I've passed down to Ben and Megan.)  One - you're never too old to do something new.  And two - you're never too old for "bubbly kisses" from your Grandma.