Grandma

My grandma, Betty Schwittek

My grandma passed away yesterday morning.  I don't think it's fully hit me yet, though the sadness is palpable.  I wish I could do more for my mom.  She was down in Florida with my grandma, at least, but I feel sort of useless.  I wish I could have gone down with her.  I'm glad I was able to go down to Florida when I did, though it was really heart-wrenching, since my grandma was in a lot of pain and wasn't the Betty I always knew.  I know she would want to be remembered in a different way.

My grandparents on their wedding day -- February 9th, 1946

My grandma was always a social butterfly.  She married my grandpa (who passed away in 2011) when she was 17.  She loved music, and I think she would have pursued a career in it, had she been able.  She was part of the Sweet Adelines for many years, and I feel proud that my grandma, mom and I all had a shared affinity for -- and love of -- singing.  She went to see my mom sing in seedy, smoky clubs, and I feel fortunate she was able to see me in a few things, too.  I always loved to hear her hum a little snippet of something, and she had such a gift for storytelling.

Mom, Grandma and me -- my first trip to Florida

She always reminded me of Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls, though my grandma was very quick-witted (and not at all vapid).  She loved that show as much as my mom and I do, and given that she was a Minnesota girl with Swedish roots who spent the last part of her life in Florida, the similarities are pretty clear.  I have such fond memories of visiting her and my grandpa in Florida as a kid.  We would go shopping (my grandma loved clothes as much as my mom and I do), go out to dinner at our favorite Floridian restaurants... we would sometimes rent a boat and go out on the Gulf.  I miss the smell of the air down in Naples.  I can never describe what it is, but it's one of my favorite smells in the world.  I still have dreams about her and my grandpa's old house.  I miss swimming in their big pool and exploring all of the beautiful rooms.  She always decorated in shades of peach and teal.  

My grandma and grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary

In earlier days, she had acrylic hot pink nails with lips to match.  She was wonderfully funny, and had a great memory, even up to the end.  She liked to golf, loved cats and could quote any episode of Seinfeld you could imagine.  She loved my grandpa with all her heart.  I don't know what I believe, as far as heaven is concerned, but I really hope they're together again now.  I wish I had been able to spend more time with her, or go back in time to experience all our Christmases and Easters and vacations with her and my grandpa again.  That's greedy on my part.  They always made me feel so special, and all of my childhood memories that involve them are so happy.  I feel so lucky to have had her for a grandma.

I love you 100, Grandma.