Grandma Marianne

MY GRANDMOTHER MARIANNE PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 2ND IN LAS VEGAS, NV AFTER A DIFFICULT BATTLE WITH CANCER.

TO SAY SHE FOUGHT FOR A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE WAY OF LIFE IN THE LAST YEAR IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THROUGH WEEKLY EMAIL EXCHANGES, I WOULD READ OF HER CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AS SHE ATTENDED HER SENIOR CLASSES AT UNLV, HER ATTENDANCE AT WEEKLY WATER AEROBICS, THE OCCASIONAL TRIP TO PLAY BINGO ON THE STRIP WITH FRIENDS, MEALS SHE WOULD PLAN, FRIENDS SHE WOULD HOST, AND OUTINGS SHE CONTINUED TO GO ON. I WAS AMAZED BY HER INNER STRENGTH, DETERMINATION AND TENACITY. (THERE WAS PROBABLY A STRONG PRESENCE OF GOOD OL' STUBBORNNESS AS WELL. A TRAIT THAT, WE AS FAMILY MEMBERS HAD LEARNED TO LOVE AND EXPECT.)

SHE WAS A LOVER OF SCRABBLE. A GAME SHE AND MY DAD WOULD SPEND (ENDLESS) HOURS PLAYING. I REALIZED AT A YOUNG AGE, I WOULD NEVER SHARE THEIR PASSION FOR THIS GAME AS I COULD NOT MAINTAIN MY FOCUS OR PATIENCE FOR THAT LONG A PERIOD, SO I OPTED OUT OF PLAYING. INDEFINITELY. I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES OF OBSERVING THEM AS I PERIODICALLY CHECKED IN ON THEIR PROGRESS. SHE LOVED ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION ABOUT A VARIETY OF TOPICS FROM THE UNUSUAL TO CONTROVERSIAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PERPLEXED ME IN MY YOUTH, BUT I NOW WILL HOLD AS ONE OF THE THINGS MOST ENDEARING ABOUT HER. SHE LOVED TO COOK GREAT MEALS, OFTEN ITALIAN, AND IN RETURN LOVED EATING. SHE LOVED TO SEND ME CUT-OUT COMICS, OR INTERESTING ARTICLES SHE CAME ACROSS. I SMILE, AS I RECALL ONE PARTICULAR ARTICLE SHE SENT FOR JEFF SPECIFICALLY ON MEDICINE. SHE HAD A WAY OF MAKING ME SMILE IN A WAY ONLY SHE COULD, AS A RESULT OF HER DOING SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. I WILL FOREVER REMEMBER HER HEARTY LAUGH, HER LESS-THAN-BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE, AND THE TUNES SHE WOULD SING. I KNOW I HAVE A LOT OF MY DAD'S SIDE IN ME, AND I WILL CARRY MUCH OF MY GRANDMOTHER'S TRAITS AND PASSIONS ON WITH ME - HER LOVE OF READING AND KNOWLEDGE, SWIMMING, COOKING, LAUGHING, HER STUBBORNNESS AND INDEPENDENCE. I'M THANKFUL FOR HER LOVE, HER STRONG AFFECTIONS FOR MY CHILDREN (SHE ONLY WAS ABLE TO MEET CHARLOTTE, A THOUGHT THAT SADDENS ME GREATLY), HER DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME UNTIL THE VERY END, HER INTEREST IN JEFF'S CAREER AND THE PRIDE SHE HAD OF IT, AND THE MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES SHE GAVE ME AS A CHILD AND YOUNG ADULT AS AN ACTIVE, INTERESTED AND LOVING GRANDMOTHER.

I LOVED HOW CHARLOTTE ALWAYS REFERRED TO HER AS "MY GRANDMOTHER."

I'M SO THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE ONE LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER AS I WAITED TO BOARD A PLANE TAKING ME TO PASADENA, CA. I KNEW SHE WAS IN HER FINALS DAYS. AS MUCH AS I DIDN'T WANT TO FACE THE REALITY OF THIS I CALLED. I WILL NEVER FORGET HER VOICE. SHE KNEW I WAS CALLING TO SAY GOOD-BYE. SHE TOLD ME SHE LOVED ME, THAT SHE LOVED MY CHILDREN, THAT SHE WOULD SEE ME IN HEAVEN, AND TO HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR IN CLEVELAND. IT SADDENS ME DEEPLY TO KNOW SHE WILL NEVER HEAR OF OUR ADVENTURES THERE OR GET TO KNOW OUR FUTURE CHILDREN. BUT, I HOLD DEAR THE TIMES THAT I WAS ABLE TO SHARE WIT HER ON THIS EARTH AND WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER WITH LOVE AND STRONG AFFECTION.