I was thinking of my Grandmother today. Just a few weeks after her 102nd birthday (which was February 28, 2011) she went home to be with the Lord. She was ready for death... and most importantly she was ready for heaven. Always thinking ahead, Grandmother had planned out her funeral. She made all of the arrangements. She planned for me to conduct her memorial service. I didn't know about this until my uncle told me after she passed away. It was an honor for me. The picture above was taken on her 102nd birthday. My last visit with her was just a few days prior. Grandmother Brock was my last grandparent and I will miss her.
Teddy Roosevelt was President when Grandmother Brock was born. Only 8% of all the homes in America had a telephone. There were 46 states and 8,000 registered cars in the entire United States. Gas was 6 cents per gallon. She was born 6 years after the Wright Brothers’ flight at Kitty Hawk; 2 years after the Model T Ford was produced; and 1 year before the Boy Scouts began. She was 18 when Charles Lindbergh made his historic non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean and 20 years old when the Stock Market crashed and began the Great Depression.
When she was born, marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all sold over the counter at the local drugstore. No wonder they called it the “good ‘ole days!”
My family lives long. I grew up with most of my great-grandparents. My last great-grandparent died when I was in my twenties. It was Grandmother Brock's mother. I was 32 years old when my first grandparent passed away.
Each time we visited Grandmother Brock with my kids, we would always leave laughing. She was feisty and funny. Her memory was amazing. She lived in the same house for over 70 years. She could tell you how much she paid for it; who painted it the very first time; how much the paint cost… on and on.
One time when she was in her early nineties, she found a man going through her bedroom. She confronted him and told him to get out. She gave him $20 and said “that’s all I have, so take it and get out.” (She actually had a great deal of money…). The intruder told her, “I can’t take your last $20.” She said, “I want you to take it and get out of my house!” The next day, I called her and asked if she was okay. She said yes. “Were you scared?” I will never forget her reply. “No, I wasn’t scared. I was mad!” Then she really got my attention when she said “But I’m ready if he comes back.” “What do you mean grandmother?” Then she really, really got my attention. “I’ve got a shooter!!” I wanted to clarify what I had just heard, “You mean you have a gun?” “I sure do. And I am ready!” Wow! How would you like to face a pistol packing 90 year old grandmother? Of course it would have taken her ten minutes to pull the trigger.
Well, I immediately called my Uncle Gary who took care of Grandmother. “Gary, you need to get over to Grandmother’s house. She has a gun and she is ready to use it!” He laughed… “I’ve already taken care of it.”
Grandmother loved her Lord and loved her church. She was faithful to both. However, Grandmother Brock did have one serious vice. She loved TV wrestling. She would tell me, "Donald, I know its not real, but it sure is fun to watch." When Meredith met Grandmother Brock for the first time, she told Meredith, "You should think about becoming a TV wrestler..." We laughed for a long time.
Grandmother lived by herself in her home until she was 100 years old at which time she finally moved into a nursing home… but she never lost her humor or her feistiness. On one of my last visits to her I said, “Grandmother, its Donald.” She looked me straight into my eyes and got mad, “I know who you are!” Then just to prove the point she asked, “How is Mary, Katie, Mack and Meredith?” Boy, she quickly put me in my place. I'm surprised she didn't ask me about the dog.
I will miss talking to Grandmother about my Dad… her first born. The only time I ever saw my her cry was the night Dad died. She told me many times, “Mack was your Grandfather’s very best friend. They were more like brothers than father and son. Mack always took care of us.”
Thanks Grandmother for finishing well! I will see you one day soon.
