Grandma Tippy-Toe

Dear Gram:

I know you are in Heaven now but I want you to know you are missed here on earth by so many people. You were such a strong woman who taught me so much. I was so lucky that you lived next door to me throughout my childhood and then when grandpap passed away we lived together until your death at the age of 101. You survived so many difficult times yet you were always fun-loving and kind. You were not only loved by your grandchildren but also by your many nieces and nephews. Guess what Gram? One of your grandnieces even named her daughter after you! I wish you were still living when she was born and had the opportunity to meet her. But you would be so happy to know that she looks and acts just like you.

I loved listening to your stories but I wasn’t always sure if you were telling me the truth. We both know how you liked to tell jokes. I know how proud you were of your Italian heritage but some of your stories about the Mafia in our small town were a little hard to believe. It is funny that you were actually able to find one of the stories written in an article so you did prove one of your stories was true. I will never forget when you told me I was part American Indian and I was so proud that I told everyone for years. Then, when I was about 18 years old, you laughed at me and said "I'm just kidding, you aren't American Indian!" We lived in a small Pennsylvania town so I believed you were telling me the truth. I still can't believe you lied to me for so long! Today DNA tests are widely available so you couldn't trick me now.

I could never understand how you could still be so upbeat and happy despite all the trials you faced in life. For example, the Great Depression of 1929, the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic, the loss of a child, and many serious illnesses, just to name a few. I know your greatest loss was that of your son, Roy John. I wasn’t born yet but my mother told me what a terrible day that was in April 1963 when Roy John was drag racing on his way home from picking up flowers for his upcoming prom. My mother told me what a nice boy he was and how much you loved him. She also told me that you spoiled him rotten by letting him skip school and there he would be sitting in bed with a great big Hershey bar! I know how hard it was for you to come to terms with his passing. I understood that you would never totally get over it but after many years I was so proud that you finally found the strength to ride on the road where the accident occurred and visit his gravesite with me. I want you to know that I have never moved his pictures from the walls were they hung while you were living. I also found the little bow tie he wore and prayer book he used for his First Holy Communion that you had tucked away in the basement.

I know you suffered during your life with many illnesses but yet you always seemed to survive. I know surviving an aneurysm is not an easy thing to do but yet you did it. Not many people have to be flown by helicopter to the hospital like you did and rushed to emergency surgery because the aneurysm was about to burst. Then having your knee replaced in your 80’s was also not easy but again you survived it and you were back to walking, gardening, driving, and even riding a four-wheeler! When you were alive you would always say to me “You just wait until you have to take care of this house by yourself!” Okay Gram, you were right, it sure is hard to maintain this house and unfortunately I am not as handy around the house as you were. However, I did watch you over the years and I am pretty good at painting and gardening. One thing I will never be as good at as you were is...cutting the heads off snakes! In fact, I still run for the house like I did when you were alive. Honestly, I don’t think you were ever afraid of anything. I also learned from you to take disappointments with a grain of salt. If someone criticized or made fun of you, I could never understand how it didn’t bother you and if it did you would never let it show. I can still see you shrugging your shoulders saying “who cares!” I have to say it was pretty funny when you dyed your hair one time and it turned a light shade of green! I think you would remember we were going to a bridal shower that day. I didn't tell you that you hair looked a little green because I didn't want to hurt your feelings but then you put a green outfit on that day! I still kept my mouth shut and we went to the bridal shower. Not one person mentioned the color of your hair although my sisters asked me why your hair was green. But the problem came when you decided to go to another family party after the bridal shower without me. One of your nephews, who didn't know anything about hair, said "Aunt Julie, why is your hair green???" You did ask me why I didn't tell you but it didn't seem to bother you at all.

Thank you “Grandma Tippy Toe,” as you liked to call yourself, and then you would say “lost her needle and couldn’t sew” for teaching me so much and for giving me so many wonderful memories. I am looking forward to the day that we meet again.

Love Always,

Margie