My Third Grandma

Since I'm not able to be at the funeral I wanted to take an opportunity to share my thoughts about Grandma. This seems as good a place as any.

I'm probably the only one of my siblings who has any memory of Grandma Mildred and Grandpa's subsequent marriage to Cora. That being said, aside from a few pictures of us together, my only remaining memory of Grandma Mildred is seeing her body at her funeral. After discussing the details with Mom earlier this year, I'm beginning to realize even that memory is fragmented. While I don't remember much about Grandma Mildred, I do remember clearly the time when Grandpa and Cora were married. I don't remember a wedding (I assume I wasn't there) but I do remember a sense of unease about this new grandmother I was acquiring. How would this work? Would she be nice? Would I like her? Was she really going to try to be my Grandma? Was I going to be expected to treat her as such?

I don't remember the exact circumstances of our first meeting (I want to say it was when they came up to Utah for my baptism but I'm not sure) but I do remember a feeling of relief. I new instantly that I had nothing to fear of this woman. She would happily be to me whatever I wanted her to be, including my Grandmother. For a while I called her Grandma Cora (as if I needed to distinguish her from my "real Grandma") but before long she was just "Grandma" or "Grandma Romney". All I ever felt from her was unconditional love. She never judged me, never made me feel inferior, and never made me feel like she didn't consider me her "real grandson".

What an amazing woman! She was so good to Grandpa. She was so good to all of us. It must have taken a lot of courage to instantly inherit another entire family of children and grandchildren but you'd never know it. Even after Grandpa died she continued to be my Grandma, unconditionally. I will always love her for that. To be that person for me when she had no obligation to be.

I hope to one day see her again and express my gratitude.

Jason