Today is my Grandma Gallagher's 102nd birthday. She has been gone a long time now, but I still think about her often. I have bittersweet memories of her. She was not very active in my life growing up, but she did have an impact. And of all of my relatives, I physically resemble her the most.
Last night as I was reflecting on her life, I was remembering back to when she tried to teach me to tat. I never did get the hang of it. She used to make lots of doilies and edgings. I still have a few of her creations, including a pillow case I embroidered and she tatted an edging onto. I also inherited her shuttles. I may yet try again.
So, I thought I would Google her name and just see what I could find. Up popped a photo of her headstone! Now this probably doesn't seem like a big deal, but it was to me. It seems that a genealogy group has taken photos of all of the gravestones in many of the cemeteries in Texas and posted the photos online. I had no idea. So instead of finding any photos or articles of her life, I found the marker of her passing.
Grandma raised her family (including my dad) in Texas and New Mexico, then moved up here to the Northwest to be near us after my grandfather died in 1964. In 1969 she married again (to Wilson Heasley) and continued to live in Vancouver until she died in 1985. Her body was transported back to the small town in Texas to be buried next to my grandfather. Since I have never been to Texas, I haven't seen their grave sites.
At first, it bothered me a little to unwittingly stumble across her headstone in such a public forum. But as I really considered it, I'm pleased to see it. I'm glad to know where it is and that someone is watching after it. And this surprise has helped me to really honor her memory today.
Happy Birthday, Grandma...love you and miss you!
Today I'm making a great big double batch of lemonade. But not literally. I recently sent off a rather large shipment of hand-made items to be sold on consignment at a shop on the coast. Well, something happened in the meantime, and the shop is closed. My box was returned to me, so there is no real loss. But, bummer, man!
