Generally speaking, Nana didn’t like parties. When I threw a surprise 75th Birthday Party for her in 1998, she wasn’t pleased. But she had a good time. When it came time to plan a celebration for her 90th Birthday, I knew better than to make it a surprise. I told her my party ideas and, although she wasn’t excited, begrudgingly agreed to allow me to make my plans. Then, she had a serious bout with cellulitis and dangerous kidney function. She was in the hospital and then the Muncy Skilled Nursing Home for weeks. Not only was the party in question, but also whether Nana would be able to return to her beloved apartment at Sherwood Drive, Montgomery. Thankfully, Nana arrived home in time for her party. And she had a good time.
Nana was a dedicated planner. Back in 1993, when she was a spry 70 years old, Nana paid for and planned her funeral service. She was specific about what funeral home should be used, what hymns should be played, what scripture should be read and who should be her pallbearers. Then she tucked those plans away and lived 27 more full years of life.
On December 6, 2020, Nana died prematurely from Covid at 97 years old. Without the virus, I believe she would’ve made it to at least 100 years old. Yes, her memory was failing and she was in a wheel chair for her frail bones, but she still had so much life in her. We had spirited phone conversations every day. Some days she would read the paper to me. Some days she sang old songs to me. Every day we talked about the weather. Every day I told her I loved her. She always replied, “Oh, I love you too. You’re a good girl.” How I miss those daily calls.
When Nana passed away from Covid, we couldn’t fulfill the plans she’d made for her funeral. Due to restrictions because of Covid, no inside services were possible so we had to settle for a graveside service. No hymns, no personal chosen scripture. Pallbearers were volunteers from family members at the service. Pastor Mike Hill from her church, St. John’s United Methodist Church, did a lovely tribute, drawing from his fourteen year friendship with Nana and the stories she’d shared with him over the years. But I felt things were left unfinished.
Immediately after that service, I started planning a Celebration of Life - an appropriate event to honor and cherish Nana’s life. We could give her the hymns and scripture she wanted. Nana loved to talk about her life stories so it seemed perfect to share her stories and stories of the ones who loved her. When my plans began in early summer, Covid was waning and my hope was that the virus wouldn’t be a visitor at our Celebration. However, the Delta variant raised its ugly head. I struggled. Should I cancel or postpone? I ultimately decided that we wouldn’t let Covid steal anything more from Nana. I decided to ask attendees to mask for safety and we celebrated Nana on Saturday, September 18, 2021, just a few days after September 15th, which would’ve been her 98th Birthday.
For a few hours, we truly celebrated. Nana would’ve loved the music. We sang the hymns Nana wanted. We listened to hymns from the Statler Brothers Cd, which she loved and requested. Lori’s husband Nate played violin with a medley of soothing traditional hymns.
The best part was the stories. I shared some of the stories Nana had written herself about her life. I felt her voice and presence so strong among us. During a time of sharing, Lori and Jeff shared stories of their childhood with Nana, who was more like a second mother than a grandmother to them. Lori shared about Nana’s stellar school lunches she fixed for them every day. Jeff remembered how Nana was so disappointed when he had to go to school because he wouldn’t be there to watch Price is Right with her every day.
Gloria Burrows shared a story I’d never known about Nana. Gloria was in first grade at the one room Pike’s Peak School when Nana was in her last year, eighth grade. Gloria says that she was small and frail and Nana and her best friend Ruth Voneida were assigned as her protectors from the other kids. I can picture that would be a good role for Nana. Nana was strong. Her early strength went on to carry her through a long and challenging life. It also reminded me of Nana’s loyal friendship to Ruth, who she remained friends with until Ruth’s passing in 2011.
Elizabeth, Bill’s daughter, shared a story of Nana, taken from a Sunday dinner at her dad’s house, about Nana’s part in her then fiancé Andrew’s proposal to marry Elizabeth. I read a story from Missi, Wayne’s daughter, who couldn’t attend. She related how much Nana loved the deviled eggs that her mom made and that Wayne and Missi would deliver weekly. We all laughed at how Missi had to be the go-between for the conversation between Nana and Wayne since neither of them could hear well.
The Celebration program closed with Pastor Mike sharing his experiences and friendship with Nana. She loved to tell him her stories when he visited her at her apartment. But she wasn’t at all chatty when meeting him in the Weis store. That was our Nana.
The stories we shared celebrated the true Nana. She wasn’t perfect. She was quirky, set in her ways and a bit OCD, but she was also fun and loving and loyal to her family. She had a zest for life that never waned in her 97 years.
After the program, we gathered downstairs in the basement of the church. We’d decorated the tables with butterfly centerpieces. I chose butterflies because Nana and I both loved butterflies. We ate cupcakes – white cake with white and blue frosting - because they were Nana’s favorite. We munched on chips and pretzels provided by Lori. Nana loved to snack. And I’d prepared bags of Nana’s favorite candy – KitKats, M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – for everyone to take.
We gazed at the picture boards where I tried to capture all the years and people in Nana’s 97 years of life. On the display table were the books of Nana’s stories and all the Nana News blogs I’ve written since 2012. A jar of the ball spinning balls Nana slaved over at Montgomery Mills were there too. Pictures of her beloved Texas Bluebonnets and the city of Austin Texas all surrounded the 8 x 10 picture of Nana. Nana with her gorgeous white hair and sweet smile adorned in her favorite red fleece top.
Nana didn’t usually like parties but I think she liked this one. Later that evening, we looked in the sky to see a rainbow. I think it was Nana telling us she had a good time.
