My husband's Grandma was a gem...

My husband had a very endearing grandmother when he was growing up. I didn't get to meet her til she was older in life. I only had the privilege of knowing her for a year and a half after I married into the family. She died from cancer at a young age of 68. But the year I did have her in my life...she was a sounding board to me. She loved the little babies and got to be a great-grandma to my husband's nephew and my own first born daughter. She would spend all her free time doting on them when she could.
My most vivid memory was a little comical of her. When we were first married we moved away from our little hometown and she stayed w/ me for not even a week one time in the middle of one of the worst winters we ever had. By the middle of the week this woman called her son -in- law...my husband's dad, to drive out and pick her up and bring her back home! She wasn't used to not having much to do and we were living on the riverbanks of the Muskingum river with no neighbors and no shopping days to do and just was not alot of fun. I was devistated to have her leave my side. I wanted to spend a week w/ her getting to know her on my own. Yet she really was unhappy to stay.She just up and left me behind..I laugh at it now..but back when I was only 20 years old...I was a bit put out.
She was married while still a young teen herself and devoted her life to her family of 3 daughters then in turn they had children and gave her 7 grandchildren. I came along and helped to give her her first great granddaughter. I wish she could have had longer on this earth to know all my girls. They would have loved this woman. She was a worker from the word start. She took care of my husband's two youngest sisters while his mom went back to college and got her teaching degree when she was in her early 40's. If not for this help of a unselfish grandma I don't think my mother- in- law could have accomplished her tasks at hand so fast and with little effort. I am not saying she didn't do it all ...she did. But to have the help and the nurturing from their grandma was a godsend to all. She made life easier for this family of 5 kids and in turn they learned life's lessons from her daily. She gave a smile to all neighbors and friends. She was a faithful church goer and active in the ladies circles til her death. She worked at the community's grocery store when she was widowed at an early age. She never did get a driver's license but was taken everywhere she needed to go by my husband's family. They included her in their family functions as if she was a part of their little circle. Living alone and above them in her own trailer gave her her own independence. Although she loved to be with them all on a daily basis.
She was loved deeply and I still hear a phrase quoted by her from his family on several occasions. She is missed very much. She will always be the "young" grandma to us all as she died so young and had the energy to keep up with all the family members. To know her was to love her indeed.