Aunt Grace

Aunt Grace
This afternoon my Dad's side of my family in Pennsylvania are all attending a birthday party. I wish I could be there with them. I am thinking of them though, and thinking of my Aunt Grace whose birthday they are celebrating. She is celebrating her 80th Birthday today! She is the third oldest of seven. My Dad was the oldest, Aunt Sylvia, who will be 83 in October of this year, and then Aunt Grace, 80 today. The ages go down from there, with the youngest, Aunt Jane, being 10 years older than me. We lost Uncle Bill to cancer a few years ago. Aunt Jane lost her husband, Uncle Stan, to cancer also, so Aunt Grace and Aunt Jane spend a lot of time together. Her children asked that we share memories or a favorite story of her, as our gift to her. Since I couldn't be there, I sent this to my cousin Susan to share about her Mother. Aunt Grace and Uncle Bill had two children, Susan and Steven. Both cousins grew up to be very lovely people and successful in their careers. Susan is three years younger than me, we spent a lot of time together when we were growing up, so I have memories of visits to their home. Here is what I wrote:

With Love to my Aunt Grace:
I have great memories of my Aunt Grace. Aunt Grace was one of my Dad’s sisters. I was the first Grandchild on my Dad’s side of the family, so I was given a lot of attention from his side of the family. I was especially given attention by my aunts. Aunt Grace was a good Aunt to me. She and Uncle Bill, Susan and Steve would often come up to our farm to visit when I was growing up, so I was able to get to know them well. Uncle Bill and Aunt Grace would often invite me to go home with them for visits because they knew that Susan and I liked to spend time together. Such good memories of those many visits! Aunt Grace gave me opportunities that I would not have had living on the farm. She let Susan and I go on the bus to downtown York, quite an experience for a farm girl. We went to the park nearby their house to play. I often went with their family to the Schimdt & Auldt company party at Williams Grove. One time when I was at their house, I got sick and Aunt Grace took such good care of me. I have a beautiful wedding photo album, thanks to Aunt Grace encouraging my Mother to hire the photographer that did Susan’s wedding. She told her not to take a chance on random photos for a wedding that you go to a lot of work to plan, that the money spent on a photographer is well worth it, and she was right!

Aunt Grace took Susan and I to my very first movie, and guess what that movie was? Cecil DeMilles “The Ten Commandments”. What an awesome experience that was for me. To this day, when I see the movie on TV, I remember Aunt Grace taking us to see it, and her explaining to me ahead of time about the movie theater.

One of my earliest memories of Aunt Grace is when I was very little. It’s the first time I remember being in the city, and it was night and Daddy was driving and looking for a street address on a dark, rainy night. We were going to Aunt Grace & Uncle Bill’s house for a Christmas Party. They lived in an apartment, and I remember the door had an oval shaped window on it. I remember her coming to the door and welcoming us in. She got everyone to sing Christmas Carols and she led us in the singing, and it’s the first time I ever heard the song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. She has always been good at getting the family together. She was a good cook and provided good food to our family gatherings. I remember one time when my Mother had a get together when I came home, and she brought a whole ham, all sliced and fixed on a tray! (Note to my blog readers - Aunt Grace taught school for over 30 years, she was a Home Economics teacher, so you can imagine what a good cook she was, and an efficient homemaker).

Family has always been very important to Aunt Grace, and she has always been a good influence on me and is one of the reasons that family is so important to me. I know she was a good sister to my Dad. I know how much she and his sisters meant to him. She was a good Sister in Law to my Mother. She was very good to Grandma. I remember all the kind things she did for Grandma and how compassionate she always was. Yes, Aunt Grace you are a good daughter, sister, wife, Mother, Grandmother, and a good Aunt to each of your nieces and nephews.

Aunt Grace, I sure wish I were there with you to celebrate your 80th. You are in our thoughts today and the next time I come home I will give you 2 great big hugs instead of one! -- Much Love from your niece in Minnesota and all my family here.

(When I get a photo scanned, I will post it)