Story III: Saying Goodbye

Death has alluded me. 

When I was 10 Uncle Jimmy died

When I was 22 Grandma Johnson died

When I was 26 Grandpa died

When I was 48 Mormor died.

A young child

A young adult

Then not again until I was considerably older.

I really didn't know Uncle Jimmy.

Grandma Johnson, she was my "old fashioned" grandma with white hair, and baked bread.  I don't remember if she drove a car.  I do remember that she taught me not to park the car too close to the curb because it was easier to step into the street then up.  She taught me how to help someone get their coat on without having to reach up!  She liked Wedgewood ... made quilts .... and always went to church.

Grandpa ... he always had candy in the car, smoked a cigar, made animals on our backs, let us go to the factory (Gall Furniture) on Saturdays, took pictures, wore a hat, and ate broiled grapefruit for 55 years of marriage even though he didn't like it.  He bought a small electric organ because he like the sound of music, he worked in his garden, went to Rotary, and was proud of being Danish.

Mormor (Swedish for mother's mother) was my grandmother and lived to 102 years..  She lived in a home which they built in 1956 until 3 months before she died.  She was shy, she was cautious, she liked to go to Bible study, had lots of rules about manners, and loved to give wedding and baby showers.  Whenever we left her house on Dudley Ave. she would stand on the front porch to wait for us to drive by after turning around ... then she would wave goodbye.  She didn't want to leave her house to move to Salem ... after all that is where she used to serve coffee to the old folks (the ones that were younger than her!).  

I didn't get to say goodbye to Uncle Jimmy, Grandma J or Grandpa before their death.  I did get to say goodbye to mormor.  I talked to her on the phone and told her I would be there Thursday ... mom said she wasn't doing well ... so I hopped an early flight scheduled to arrive Wednesday.  There were weather delays.  I didn't get there until Thursday.  She had waited until Thursday.  I think she knew that I was there ... I read to her in Swedish ... I laid down with her.  I fell asleep holding her ... woke up .... she had died.   It was nice to say goodbye.