My Grandmother

My Grandmother Ruby Craig, my father's mother, passed away this Sunday. She had two heart attacks this last week. She had 90 wonderful years. She had three sons, no daughters. I am amazed by mothers of boys. My dad always says that she is his hero because she raised three sons in small trailer. She was always a hard worker. She used to run her own restaurant out of her house in Illinois when the boys were younger. Then they moved to Yuma and she began to work as a waitress. She would work long hours on her feet all day. She was a widow twice. My Grandpa Charlie Gideon passed away when my father was only 18. I never met him. Then she remarried the man I knew as grandpa Wally. They were married for several years before he passed. I wonder what that reunion is like in Heaven for the all of them right now.

My grandma was the most faithful, prayerful and forgiving woman I have ever met. She lived to be 90 because of her routines. She would get up every morning and read her Bible while riding her stationary bike. She would spend her days serving others. She attending a joy club for widows and widowers and was always driving and picking up others to go with her. She spend Tuesdays doing service by taking people's blood pressure. I am not sure where this was that she did this at, but I know she did it every week. She taught Sunday School for several years at her church. She would spend time preparing for the holidays by sewing tons of stuffed animals for the children at the church. I get my love of photos and preserving them from her. She would make a photo album for every year. She would do a title page with a funny caption for the year and end the album with a funny picture and saying as well. She would type out captions for the photos with her old fashioned type writer. One of my favorite memories was one weekend when stayed with her and I helped her type out her captions for her albums. We had always wondered what we were going to do with her photo albums when she passed. Who would get them? How would we divide them? She took care of all of that for us. She has spent the last three years breaking them apart for us and remaking albums for all of us with our special pics in them. How amazing is that? She is so amazing. She will be missed.

Her full name is Ruby Irene Craig. I named Delana with her middle name, Irene, because that was always my Grandma's wish to have someone share her middle name because she got it from her mother. I am so honored that for the rest of Delana's life she will have her legacy and Grandma's story behind her name.

Her funeral is on the 27th. Our family is blessed enough to be traveling to Yuma for the funeral. I look forward to being with family and remembering all of the wonderful things she taught us. Her favorite color was yellow so my sister told me today that we should all plan on wearing yellow. I think that is a wonderful idea. I thought I was covered because all of my clothes are black (its slimming). Now I will be happy to find the most beautiful yellow something to honor my grandma. And also she makes Raggedy Anne Dolls for all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We are all going to take our dolls with us.

My sister took this pic and I love it. Farewell until we meet again.