Grandma’s Funeral – Grandchildren Speech

 

We are each Grandma Hatt’s oldest Grandchild from each of her children.  Lisa is Lorrie’s oldest daughter and I am Larry’s oldest child.  We  feel really honored to reflect on our lives with Grandma Hatt and be here today representing all 7 of her Grandchildren and 8 Great Grandchildren with our 9th coming  in March.

 

Janice has put together a wonderful collection of memories of my Grandmother that are included in her scrapbook that is here with us today.  I will share with you now are memories, thoughts and stories from my brother Wes, my sisters Nicole and Laura, from  Lisa and her sisters Andrea and Shelley of my Grandmother and our shared lives together. PAUSE

 

We all share a great love for our grandmother and remember her as a:

-         Kind

-         Caring

-          And Independent woman PAUSE

-         She had a great sense of humor

-         And was Candid

-         She was someone who really understood us and didn’t pass judgment.  No matter what we said she’d listen and support us.  As teenagers we’d have some pretty crazy things to say.  Nothing seemed to phase her. I know I tried a few out over the years.

-         She had a Strong sense of order on how things should be done – perhaps a little stubborn

-         She Liked to travel and enjoyed talking about other cultures

-         So Proud of her family – loved to introduce her grandchildren to others.  She really enjoyed meeting our “friends” and always asked after important people in our lives.  Terry, Quintin, Chris, Kevin, Woody D’Arcy and Sarah also enjoyed fond memories with Grandma.

-         Grandma loved us and spending time with us

-         She had a Great sense of style – always looked great and had beautiful clothes

-         She was Organized PAUSE

-         Grandma Only made right turns when driving -

-         She was Gentle

-         Appreciative and thankful PAUSE

           

We all remember her house on Montye Ave and in particular the distinctive smell of her house.  My Grandmother always smelled wonderful like roses.  Other smells we remember include:

-         All the soaps in her bathroom

-         Fresh baked apple pie

-         Pineapple upside down cake

-         Her Gas stove

-         Oatmeal cookies – where one of us had her convinced these were appetizers and eaten before dinner.  Grandma sure did spoil us and make us feel we were getting away with something.  She still made us eat carrot and celery sticks even when were ordering pizza. 

-         Her hand cream

-         Chicklets – she always had them in her purse and we all new where her secret stash was in her kitchen cupboard. She loved Chicklets as was always chewing one. She had chicklets like her mother our Great Grandmother Shaw had caramels.

 

Other memories of Grandma and her house include:

-         her cuckoo clock in the kitchen.  I am surprise we never broke that clock. We’d pull those pinecones and keep winding it waiting and waiting for the birdie to come out.

-         the special dog door on the back porch.  The grandchildren loved that entrance in to the house.

-         having tea and cookies.  She’d let us scoop as much sugar in to our tea as we wanted.  We always used her good china and would feel so important having our tea.

-         sitting and talking on her front porch

-         the basement with its dirt floor and interesting mementos.  We’d spend hours looking through all of Grandma’s stuff.  She had great stuff around for children to explore.  We’d go through all her drawers in the kitchen with all the neat things and then the dressers upstairs.  I’m not sure she knew we did this but we’d have great finds.  PAUSE

-         Grandma’s magic bag.  Grandma could pack enough for a week in the smallest bag and still have a different outfit on each day.  We all traveled with Grandma for a few days to Ottawa or a week to Florida or even to the Cansfields watching the girls while Lorrie and Chuck were away.  No matter how long it was the same little bag. It really is a mystery to us all how she did it and still looked impeccable.

-         We remember her photo albums and tons of time looking through them with her

-         And our favorite memory are the red Dutch wooden shoes that would sit on a shelf in her basement.  We were all so sad when those shoes wouldn’t fit us anymore.  We’d spend hours playing with them and stuffing our feet in them and dancing around the basement.  Those shoes now sit in her Great Granddaughter Isabelle’s room just waiting for Isabelle and soon her sister Addie to get those on.  They’ll have to invite the other great granddaughters over to try them on. Sydney, Sommerset and Chloe could squeeze in to them for sure.  Great Grandson’s may not find them as fun but wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to squeeze them on. I’m pretty sure only Grandson Wes had those shoes on at one time.  I’m not sure Macgregor would get them on anymore but Logan and Luc could probably squeeze in.

 

Family time and get together’s were very important to my Grandmother my Dad, Janice and Aunt Lorrie.

We all were very lucky to spend lots of time with Grandma. She had a great influence on our lives and who we are today.

 

As Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren, we are Grandma’s legacy.  We will remember you Grandma and love you very dearly.