 |
| My grandparents and mother circa 1925 |
 |
| Dot, Patti, Chick and cousin, Johnny circa 1948 |
 |
| Grandmother and me at Atlantic City |
 |
| Mom, her cousin, Letty and Dot at her 80th birthday |
My grandmother, Dorothy Morrison Grieb Rudisill (Dot) died 20 years ago and it is still hard to believe she is not still sitting in the chair she so often occupied. She was born in 1903, weighing only 2 pounds, but survived until age 91.
She was a women's woman if that makes sense, making her life around bridge parties, luncheons, gossip, and going out to dinner. She had a stiff drink or two every night. She never held a paying job, didn't drive.
She dominated my mother's life for 71 years, making things difficult from time to time.
But she was always fun to be with, always lively and on top of events. She married a rabid Democrat in my grandfather and then a rabid Republican with her second husband. What they had in common was the topic of politics was always in the air. Her father had been a Philadelphia politician and that was conversation to her.
She went from rich to poor to rich more than once and still managed to look good every day. She had her nails and hair done weekly.
I was in England the year she died and didn't return for her funeral. We knew before we left that she was dying and discussed this issue. I regret it still. I should have been there for my mother. It would be 15 years before I learned what losing a mother was like.
7 comments:
Your grandmother sounds like a very interesting person. Great story and photos.
Cool to have such pics.
I love those pictures, especially the two of you in Atlantic City.
Jeff M.
My grandmother on my father's side died before I was born. My grandmother on my mother's side was kindly and generous and resourceful. She traveled alone from Poland to start a new life in America after WWI. She was an amazing woman!
I couldn't go to either of my grandmothers funeral--in both cases geographical distance was too great (and in one case I was still a child). Try not to beat yourself up too much about it. One of my aunts died yesterday--it was not unexpected (cancer), but still a very sad time for the family; but both geography and finances make it impossible for me to attend her funeral.
It's good that you remember her.
I only knew one grandparent, and he was a grumpy grandfather who lived with us for years before his stroke forced his placement in a nursing home. All I remember is him criticizing me for just about everything (and doing the same to my mother).
A lovely tribute, Patti
Post a Comment