Saturday, December 31, 2016
When asked for a memory of Grandma Grace the first thing that came to my mind was her hands. Strong but feminine, Grandma used her hands to create love and warmth wherever she went. I rarely remember a time when those hands were still and I never remember a time they acted with anything less than pure love for her family and community.
Those hands were busy crocheting gloves for both my infant daughters, making enough soup on a cold winter day to feed a small army, making scarves for all her granddaughters for Christmas 2004, crocheting blankets for all the grandchildren many years prior to that, crafting the many quilts she carefully blocked and sewed using Grandpa's old dress pants and other fabrics around the house. Grandma Grace was always creating beautiful displays of the warmth and love she had for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When those hands weren't busy creating and nourishing, they were grabbing pens and paper out of cabinets for drawing, helping put on winter clothes for playing outside in the snow, or resting on cheeks as she drew us near for one last goodbye hug and kiss before heading home.
Grandma was resourceful, steady, strong, and humble. And she used all those unglamorous traits to create incredible warmth and generous love in the homes and hearts of everyone who knew her. I'm proud and grateful to have so many artifacts of the work her hands have done throughout my home and imprinted on my heart. If I can bring half of her industrious ethic and loving spirit to my own home I will have impacted my children and community indeed. We love you, Grandma, and we'll ever stop missing you.
Victoria Henry - Granddaughter.
