Old Grandma has been in poor health for a long time. (By the way, we refer to her as "Old Grandma" only because she referred to herself in such terms when Rebekah was young. She didn't want her to be confused with her two Grandma Grovers (one a grandma and one a great-grandma), so she called herself "Old Grandma." It was such an endearing term that we continued to use it.) We were so grateful that we had been able to gather at her home for dinner Christmas Eve and make that wonderful memory together.
Not long after the dinner, she went downhill quickly. Dennis had helped move her to Teton Post Acute Care and Rehabilitation the evening of December 29 where she passed away just hours later.
Understandably, we were all sad to hear of her passing, but it's wonderful to think of her reunited with Old Grandpa who passed away while Seth serving the last few of months of his mission in 2003.
Seth gathered the girls in the living room to share the news with everyone. The girls shed a few tears and then we all shared things that we love about Old Grandma.
And then we set to work. Grandma Susan acquired family photo albums and started scanning pictures so Seth and I could put together the slide show for the viewing. It was fun to look at all the images and reflect on her life and our interactions with her.
We attended the viewing Tuesday, January 3, at Coltrin in Idaho Falls. All of Seth's siblings were there (Kent and his family had flown in from Virginia and Jason from Boston), so it was fun to visit and interact with friends and family.
Emma, Kelsey, Winnie and Miriam gathered around one phone watching a show in an adjoining room at the funeral home.
Cooper, Charlotte and Hudson watching on another phone while Uncle Justin acts as the TV stand. Uncle Justin was so sweet to keep an eye on the kids in the room. In fact, the ladies who help run the funeral home commented on how the kids at this viewing were the best behaved little ones they've ever seen.
Rebekah looking at a history book while Ana watches the little kids.
The viewing.
Grandma Susan and Seth. (Coincidentally, they're talking to my mom.)
Dennis. (Also coincidentally talking to my mom.)
The funeral was held the next day. It was a beautiful service. We all got to sing "I'll Often Go Walking" and substituted "mother" with "grandma." Seth (guitar), Aunt Rachel (guitar) and Uncle Kent (saxophone) played "Amazing Grace." Grandpa Dennis spoke.
I've never been to an internment quite like this one. For one thing, we drove from Coltrin in Idaho Falls to the Archer cemetery (the longest funeral procession I've ever taken part of). For another thing, it was below zero that day, so we all put on lots of extra layers in the car on the way to the cemetery. The graveside service was short (remember: below zero degrees!), everyone returned to their cars quickly, and the hearse got stuck in the snow.
The pallbearers carrying the casket. Uncle Justin, Uncle Jason, Uncle Kent, Lakota (Cousin Chelsy's fiance), Seth and Cousin Baird were the pallbearers.
The casket next to the headstone and Old Grandma's four children standing in the background: Grandpa Dennis, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Brent and Uncle Doug.
We made a quick stop at Bill Squires' house (Winnie had loudly announced, "I need to go potty!" right before the dedicatory prayer, so he let use their facilities since they live so close to the cemetery) and headed back to Idaho Falls for a luncheon at the church where we shot a few family pictures.
Jason, Seth, Rachel, Dennis, Susan and Kent.
Rebekah, Winnie, Andrea, Analee, Seth, Miriam.
Just for fun: Winnie, Charlotte, Miriam and Emma.
The four kids recreated an old photo.
And then had to reenact it with Dennis as the centerpiece (and with Justin's help).
Lately we've been trying to visit Old Grandma as often as we could. The girls always looked forward to petting Roscoe, avoiding the bird, eating Old Grandma's treats, playing with the bins of toys and telling Old Grandma about their lives. Analee even brought the uke in and played "Go Tell It on the Mountain" for her, and the girls, Grandma Susan and I signed "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains" for her.
It's a sweet experience getting to know one's predecessors, and it's a bittersweet experience seeing them pass. But because death is simply a part of life, it gives us the great opportunity of teaching our girls about God's great plan and bearing our testimonies. We'll miss Old Grandma, but it's been a pleasure sharing our lives with her.
To see more pictures from the funeral, click here.
