Grandma Hatt

 

I met Grandma Hatt for the first time in the Fall of 1989.  Over the first few years I really got to know her quite well.  She was always very welcoming to me and always made me feel at home at her house in Toronto.

 

Shari and I, before we had kids and moved to Oakville, saw her fairly frequently.  When we lived on Bloor we would often go by and she would have the odd thing she needed done around the house especially when it may be a few weeks before Larry would be back.  She always appreciated the little bit of help.

 

Similar to my Grandma Mary she would tell me lots of old stories and was always ready to pull out some photo albums.  At one point I had finally heard all of the favorite stories…..so I thought but she would always throw in a detail that I hadn’t heard before so the stories always stayed fresh which was great.

 

I think the point where I felt more like a Grandson then a Grandson-in-law was one year when Shari could not make the ‘high tea tradition’ that Shari started at the Royal York with Grandma.  An author would be there as the guest speaker and of course they would be selling their book with autograph.  No one else was available to go with her that year so I said to Shari that I would go with her.  Like the creature of habit Grandma Hatt was we would meet in the lobby of the Royal York by the wingback chairs and then go into the dining room.

 

We went to the room for lunch and I sat at a table with her and six other older ladies.  I remember counting the men in the room and I think it was five out of a hundred people.  She kept introducing me as her Grand-daughter’s boyfriend until finally one of the ladies said this is your Grandson and she just said yes which I thought was great because that is how I felt and that is still how I feel today about her.

 

I will miss her immensely but will remember all those special times and will consider myself fortunate to be considered family to such a great lady.

 

Love,

Terry (husband of Bertha’s grand-daughter Shari)