I have the privilege of being the granddaughter of John and Dorothy. I remember vividly the journey I made each summer of my childhood with my mother and two younger brothers to visit Grandma and Grandpa at their beautiful cove-side home on Beaver Lake in Arkansas. My aunts, uncle, and cousins made the journey at the same time, and what followed was always a week of revelry, laughter, eating, swimming, singing, and storytelling. I can remember few times in my life filled with such adventure, such hilarity, and such joy. And Grandma and Grandpa were at the center. Each loved to tell stories, though more often than not Grandpa ceded the spotlight to Grandma...
Grandma loved telling stories of my mother and her siblings as children- she would weave wonderful tales of children misbehaving with a twinkle in her eye. Just as often she would remember summer adventures up to Wisconsin when she sewed matching plaid outfits for all seven members of the family. Some of my favorite stories were of her and Grandpa's courtship just after his return from World War II. As I remember it, they met through a bicycle club that would make treks through the various wilds just outside of Chicago. Grandma claimed not to be much of a cyclist, but when she found herself smitten with Grandpa she gave it her all. As I grew older, she shared more stories of her own youth. To me, she lived an amazingly glamorous life- filled with parties, beautiful dresses, and always lots of dancing. When I found the dress I would wear to my junior prom, I called Grandma to describe it for her. She then told me of a similar dress she wore many, many years before- a dress that my great-grandmother actually sewed her into. As it turns out, that was a common event in Grandma and her Mother's relationship- they would find a dress that had great potential, alter it, and then sew my Grandma right into it. Sometimes the sewing wasn't quite up to so many hours of dancing- Grandma told me of one evening when the stitching began to unravel on the dance floor. She grabbed a girlfriend, headed to the ladies room, whipped out her mini-sewing kit she kept in every pocketbook, and was back on the dance floor in fewer than five minutes.
To say that Grandma was clever and crafty would be an understatement. Her creativity was limitless. She could spot the hidden potential in a lackluster piece of clothing and turn it into the envy of all who saw her. She would take an item of jewelry that wasn't quite what she needed for a particular look, whip out her glue gun and paintbrush, and in no time have a new pair of earrings or bracelet or brooch. When I welcomed her first great grandchild into the world, she sent us a beautiful quilt she made and is now adored by my older daughter.
Grandma loved family. She and Grandpa raised five amazing and unique individuals. At my wedding six and a half years ago, the entire O'Brien family joined me and my new husband on the dance floor to serenade our guests with our family anthem- By The Sea. Grandma smiled from ear to ear as she watched us dressed in our Sunday best wiggling and singing completely out of key. I was greeted by a similar smile four years later when I brought my new daughter down to visit. It seemed nothing gave Grandma so much joy as to be with her family, young and old, remembering and reliving, and looking forward to the joy our own lives will bring.
We are sad to lose such an amazing woman, such a presence in the stories of each of our lives. We will remember her for all that she gave us. We will share her stories and adventures. We will laugh and we will cry. And we will cherish what she held so dear- our family.
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