This is the quote with which my Uncle John began his eulogy about my grandma. I love it. And for a woman who loved her grandchildren it seemed quite appropriate. This is the younger and she really does live on through us, all fifteen of her grandchildren. She has seven great- grandchildren, four sons in law, and four step-grandchildren. How blessed I feel to have been part of her life and that she was part of mine. The funeral mass was lovely. The music was so pretty. We sang "The Prayer of St. Francis" and "Let There Be Peace on Earth" first. The soloist who sang the songs had an amazing voice, my grandma would have liked it.
My grandma was cremated and her ashes were in a simple but pretty wooden box. It was so so strange to look at that box and know that inside was what was left of her body. The service was given by Father Purdell, a priest who met my grandma when she was a lunch lady at Monitini, a private Catholic school. He knew her and the things he said were so touching and just...right. He mentioned her hot ham sandwiches (which I still make at least twice a month) and how fun it was to have her be there with her twin sister, my Aunty Do. He mentioned her faith and how true it was. She was a devoted Catholic. I remember when she told me that she said special prayers for Tom every day he was deployed. She loved Mother Theresa and I remember her and my grandpa going to mass on Saturday evenings when they came to visit us in Utah. Ah grandma. I am getting all of this out of order but before Father Purdell spoke my sister Jordan read a scripture from Proverbs and my cousin Matt read a scripture from Corinthians. They both held it together so well. I was really impressed. As I mentioned before, John's eulogy was beautiful and I will be glad to have my own copy of it. He so eloquently described her life, both the good and the difficult. But when I completely lost it is when he talked to me and my cousins, her grandchildren. She loved being a grandma, truly loved it. I am still trying to come to terms with living in a world where she isn't...where I will not see her until my time here is done also. But it was a lovely mass, almost exclusively family but there were some of their friends there too. It felt quite and peaceful. The last song we sang was called "On Eagle's Wings" and it was so beautiful. Then it was time to go.
After the funeral mass, in which I cried until I think I literally cried myself out, the family went out to brunch at a really nice restaurant and I had such a lovely time sitting and talking with my family. That afternoon we went and found the graves of my great-grand parents and my great-great grandparents (both on my grandma's side). It's amazing to me that the family was all so local.
The evening was spent in heavenly pizza eating at Giordano's...drool. Seriously so good. It was my dad's 60th birthday on the 16th and a massive dinosaur balloon was purchased and there was some quite enthusiastic singing. He was a good sport.
The next morning it was time to go. The thirteen hour drive was long but we survived and also it is so fun to ride in the same car with people who will sing songs with you until you are all cracking up so bad you can't breathe. That is what happens when Corinne, Lauren, Chris and I sing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
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My sweet Grandma Schroeder passed away this past Friday, Good Friday, quietly, with my grandpa by her side. She has had Alzhiemer's disease for a while and it was really really bad at the end. She was so sick and weak and after an emergency hip replacement (she fell from her wheelchair) we knew that the end would be near. I thought that somehow knowing it was coming would soften the blow when the news came. I was wrong. I had just ordered pizza on Friday night and was getting ready to go pick it up when I got the phone call. I didn't cry when I heard. Not right away. It was saying it out loud to Tom when he saw my face that did it.
I have always felt very close to my Grandma Schroeder. I spent nearly every summer as a child at her 2 bedroom 1 bedroom house in Downers Grove IL. I roller-skated in her basement, experienced my first tornado (also in her basement) ate tons of ice cream, played pinocle, made puzzles, watched Law and Order, played whiffle ball in the yard, and ate her fantastic meals. We would always go to Dominick's or the Jewel (grocery stores) and she would get her free cup of coffee and lean over the shopping cart while she pushed it along. She bought us any and every kind of treat we wanted. The ranch Fritos (back when they made them) were always a favorite. Also Pudding Pops and Fudgsicles.
It is amazing to me how many things I was able to do with a grandma who lived so far away. She remembered every birthday, every holiday. She sent me cards when I was sick or when I did something cool with school. I always felt so very special to her. For the last few years whenever I talked to her on the phone she would go on and on about how happy she was that she had such fabulous grandchildren and how happy her family made her. My sweet grandma had a bit of a fiesty side too...I must admit. There were things that made her crazy and she would let you know it. I have so many memories of driving in a car with her and she called every driver on the road a jerk. Oh but she had the funniest way of saying it and it always made me laugh! She had a wonderful Chicago accent and there are phrases she said that will stick in my head forever.
I already miss her. Knowing that now I live in a world where she isn't is so odd...it doesn't feel real. I am so incredibly blessed to have a loving and involved grandma for thirty years.
Grandma and her twin sister, my Aunty Do
Grandma and Grandpa after they got engaged
Wedding Day
Grandma with Emma
With Emma and Mary
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