The End Of A Generation

Great-Aunt Garnet slipped into the great unknown around 10:00 a.m. this morning. My grandmother’s sister, a part of my life since before I have conscious memories. Feisty and funny and stubborn and so set in her ways, and yet laughing and welcoming always.

She worked in a munitions factory in WWII. She had three sons, buried one of them and her spouse, Uncle Carroll. They were married in 1947 and he died in 2002.

When I was a child, Mom and I would stop to visit her several times a month when we would go to Newton for groceries. Less judgmental than my grandma, a link to Mom’s family in a unique way.

I remember running around her house, going through the kitchen drawers to make “soup” and other kitchen creations while she and my mom sat at the kitchen table and talked.

As my children ran around in her kitchen and pulled things out of the kitchen cupboards to create worlds and wonders while I sat at the kitchen table with the adults now.

A last direct link to my grandma is gone, and there are so many questions I didn’t ask.

But so much love that was always there.

Only now do I realize how grateful I am for her presence through all the many milestones of my life. I hope she knew how much I appreciated her.

Here she is on my left with my grandma at my grad school graduation. I think she was also at my undergrad. graduation, but I couldn’t put my hands on those pictures today.

At our wedding. She’s in the middle left of the picture, sitting next to my SIL Kathy.

At our wedding reception with Grandma Frosty and two of my cousins.

With Mom and her remaining siblings at the care facility on April 27.

What a joy and relief it was when Covid relaxed its grip enough that we could stop visiting her through a window or via zoom and could actually sit next to her and hear her laugh.

Good rest, Aunt Garnet.

Thank you for being part of the bedrock on which I stand. The love that asks nothing in return is an amazing gift and I’m grateful for you.