Grandma and me at a reunion when I was in high school.
Tara, Grace, Mom, Grandma and Great-grandma LeMaire.
Grandpa, Grandma, Great-grandma, Anita and Gene.
Grandma (left) as a young woman, sitting on her father's lap - Mr. LeMaire, Great-grandma LeMair (right), and her sister Anita (back row).
On Sunday morning my Grandmother, Maezelle Beach, passed away from cancer. By the time it was diagnosed, it had consumed most of her body. From diagnosis, she only lasted a few days. Her death brings a great sadness in our lives, esp. to that of her surviving children - my mother, Mitzi, Theo and Eddie. Tomorrow Samantha and I travel to NC to be by their side for the funeral.
Despite the sadness of this loss, I cannot help but be overwhelmed with the loving memories I had of her. She was a vivacious woman. She epitomized the women in my life - she was made of a tougher fiber - of pure grit. She was not the "typical" grandmother or woman of her time, wrapped in an apron and ever present with a warm plate of cookies, or dressed in linen and pearls. She was hard-working, charismatic, gregarious, and a woman who was never limited by her circumstances or time. Barely at 5 feet tall, she was a woman bigger in presence than her mere stature.
She worked until her mid-seventies, only when her eyesight was too bad. She competed in the Senior Olympics as a dancer, leading and choreographing cheerleading, jazz, and country line dancing teams. We even choreographed dances together when I was home for the summer. She was funny, spirited and a great shopping partner. She loved you, no matter the time or distance that separated the visit. She took care of her ailing husband, my dear Grandfather, when he was dying of cancer. And, if you were at my wedding 5 years ago, you saw her dance her butt off and drop lower to the floor than the girls my age. She was in one word - remarkable.
I am proud to have that type of woman running through my veins. I am so blessed to have had her in my life. And, I just know that heaven is more fun because she is there. I know she is dancing in heaven; having already organized the angels into an all out team.
As she use to say, when she coached the dance teams in her seventies -- "those old ladies couldn't do the moves she could." I will always remember her as the woman who defied her age and was blessed with many talents.
We all miss you Grandma -- Love, Dana
2 comments:
Oh, Dana... I'm so sorry for your loss. I'll pray for safe travels and peace for you and your family.
I'm sorry to hear this, but from reading what you wrote a lot more makes sense. You seem to display a lot of the same things you idolized her for. She is more than just running through your veins, she is, for sure, a large part of who you are. "Actions speak louder than words," and through what you do and who you are she will always be remembered by you and those around you. Still to this day when someone does something in my family it can be traced back to a single moment in time that no one forgot about a loved one. Missed, but never forgotten.
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