My Glaa

Growing up I always lived 10mins from both sets of grandparents. I loved it. When my brother and I had games they were always there, always around for birthday parties, Sunday dinners, and special things. My Dads mom, Glaa as she was known to us, was especially funny. She would often pick me up from school and take me dress shopping or out for a milkshake. The only thing was we couldn't tell my Papa. She had a separate checking account and he would give her $$$ once a month and she could do whatever she wanted with. However she often would dip into their joint account when she ran out. She was a spender. As a kid my brother and I knew if there was something our parents wouldn't buy us we could hit up the grandparents, they wouldn't disappoint. One year my Glaa called my Mimi (my moms mom) and said "we are buying Heather Marie a dollhouse. Jack (my papa) and I will pay for it and you and Paul (my moms dad) can put it together!" She was so funny. Every year even after I was married and had kids she would send each of us a check for our birthdays and Christmas, often writing "don't tell papa". She turned 90 back in August and right after her big party she started downhill. She finally passed away on Monday Oct 8. She had been living in an assisted living home for 7years since my Papa passed and she ran the show there. Everyone was a friend and she lit up the room where ever she went. After her funeral at Quantico (my papa was a Colonel in the Marines during WWII and Korea) where she was buried with my Papa, we returned to her home and had a party where loads of people came to celebrate her life with us. She was truly one of a kind. I will miss her smile, her infectious laugh, and our silly phone calls but I know I will see her again.