Hilltop Academy - Flashback Friday: Remembering...

May. 30, 2008

Flashback Friday: Remembering...

This is a picture of my grandma (mine and Debbles' kids always called her "Gigi"), Debbles and me in about 1986. Oh, yes....and I'm holding our dog, Bonnie, and Debbles is holding three Pound Puppies (anyone remember Pound Puppies?!?).

Gigi lived with our family from the time I was about two years-old, so I actually can't even remember life without her with us. It proved to be providential after my parents' divorce because my mom had to go back to work, and Gigi's being there prevented me and Debbles from becoming latchkey children after school. It also prevented mine and Debbles' early demises since we probably would have killed one another if left alone for too long.

I always loved to hear stories about Gigi's family when she was young. If I ever write a book, it will probably be a fiction-based-on-truth novel about her family. She came from a family of eleven children, growing up in Depression area, rural Arkansas. Every time she shared a story or tidbit from this time, it was like opening a window to the past for me. I know they were a very poor family, but the stories she shared were rich with character, life and love, and I was always a captive audience.

Gigi passed away in April of 2003, and she was buried next to her husband, who died a couple of years before I was born, and her son, who died when I was just a couple of months old. It is a little cemetery in her hometown, where almost all of her large family is buried.

This past Monday, for Memorial Day, Big D had the idea to drive to Arkansas to visit her grave, since we haven't been back since the funeral. It was a crazy idea really, but we did it anyway. Four and half hours there and the same coming back. All in one day. Whew!

First, we stopped to visit Gigi's oldest sibling, Henry, who since a stroke a couple of years ago, has been in a nursing home. He's 92 and the only brother that's still living.

This was actually a very sad visit. Just five years ago at Gigi's funeral, he was still such a vibrant, feisty man. Thankfully, he did know my mom, although he got a little confused towards the end and thought she was Gigi.

Then we made our way to Hartsoe Cemetery where we first paid our respects to my grandparents.

The cemetery places flags on all of the veterans' graves. My grandfather was a veteran of the army in WWII. Like I said, I never knew him, but Indiana Mimi likes to tell the stories of how he swam in Mussolini's swimming pool after the Italian take-over and how he was the only survivor of his tank which was hit by a grenade.

To the left of their plot is where my Uncle Larry, Indiana Mimi's only sibling, is buried. He died tragically at the young age of only 23. Harrison is apparently his look-alike. All of my grandma's living sisters always gasp and tear up when they see him because he looks so much like him. Even my Uncle Henry saw the resemblance when we visited him. At one point he was staring at Harrison, and he said, "I sure do like that boy. Looks like Larry."

I remember always being fascinated with that picture frame on his headstone when I was young. My kids did more than their fair share of opening and closing it on that day too.

Here Annaleigh is looking at the headstones of three of Gigi's brothers who all died fairly young. They were all unmarried, so they were buried by one another. One of her brothers, Herman, was buried in Washington state where he lived with his wife. These are the graves of Robert (the youngest), Al and Bill.

This is the grave of one of Gigi's younger sisters who died when she was only 8. Gigi always said she was diagnosed with a hole in her heart, which I believe is, most of the time, easily remedied nowadays.

Later, Indiana Mimi wanted some time to walk around alone, so we entertained ourselves by taking pictures of one another and reading random headstones.

Lastly, we stopped by Indiana Mimi's aunt's house, who lives just a few miles from the cemetery.

Her name is Zelba, and she was married to Indiana Mimi's dad's brother Allie, who died the same year as Gigi. I always get the biggest kick out of the fact that she has an identical twin whose name is Melba. Zelba and Melba....isn't that great?

And then we started the journey home. It was a crazy, long, exhausting day, but it was well-worth it. I think we'll probably do it again next year....that is if our six month-old baby will cooperate for a trip like that.

So what memories do you have for us today? Sign in and share them with us!

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Comments

May. 30, 2008 - What a special way to spend the day...

Posted by proverbsmomof3

Whenever we get back to Mass. we stop by the realatives graves also. It is nice that you have pleasant memories of your loved ones to pass down to your children. If you ever write your book, I will be one of the first to get it. Love that kind of stories.

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