A Truly GREAT Grandma...

I have put off writing this post for 5 days now. As all of you know Grandma Beede passed away last week and I can't seem to think of a fitting tribute for this incredible matriarch. Would have turned 100 years-old in October. Married 63 years. Mother of 3, Grandmother of 16, Great-Grandmother of 58, and Great-Great Grandmother of 40. Unbelievable numbers... yet they don't even begin to scratch the surface of this wonderful woman's life. I was one of the 58 great-grandchildren and only saw Grandma a few times a year after we moved from Ogden when I was two. And yet she ALWAYS knew what I was up to. She tracked and followed her children's, grandchildren's, great-grandchildren's, and great-great grandchildren's ups and downs with an unequaled devotion. Dad tells stories of wild road trips to California and magical Christmas Eve parties led by Grandma and Grandpa Beede. Telling of these stories generally end with everyone in the room rolling with laughter. Grandma was funny, with an unparalleled wit. And although I wasn't lucky enough to visit Grandma on a daily basis I knew her from my own funny Grandma Barb. I can see that Grandma Beede taught her children to always fill their home with love. She taught them the importance of occasion and making life fun with parties and celebration. She taught them how to make their grandchildren feel special and understood. This is her legacy. A direct line I can see from Grandma Beede, filling her Ogden home with sweets for her visiting grandchildren; to Grandma Barb, hosting wild parties in the house on the hill in Dillon; to my own Dad, entertaining everyone around the campfire at Flathead or sitting on the couch for hours watching Disney Channel with Lisa in Omaha simply because she wants to. A legacy of love, loyalty, and fun. I am grateful that we get to inherit this legacy and I am especially grateful to all the family in Utah that worked so hard to make sure that Grandma could live, peacefully, in her own home.