Saying goodbye,

The only way I know how...............

This young lady sitting in the chair is my grandmother. She was one of my biggest supporters as you can see from the pillow and blanket she is holding. Over the last 4 years my grandmother has fallen ill and then gotten better. Every time it took a little bit more of her away. I received a call Friday morning alerting me that she gave up the battle and is now on her way to be with her husband and life long friend. I have been racking my brain trying to find a way to fly home and be with my mother during this tough time. After much planning and many talks with my father, we felt it best I stay home and work towards my initial plans of a fall vacation home. It seems odd but we celebrate the life more then morn the death. So I am going to say goodbye to her the only way I know how.

You see my grandmother was a feisty women and I like to think that part was passed on to me. She use to crack jokes and say things that would make a sailor blush but she was so refined and kind. She stood a whopping 4'11 and use to tell my brother (whom is 6ft) "Don't make me get on a stool to paddle that butt." She loved picking on my dad and vice versa. He would tell old lady jokes and she would throw in her own old guy zingers. Her latest feet was mastering the game of Wii bowling. In our last phone conversation I asked about her bowling and she proudly told me she bowls 220 - 225 easily..lol! If you have never played I will tell you I bowl on a league and my best score is 180 tops! Today she is being laid to rest along side my grandfather who passed when I was 16. I wanted to see if they had posted the Obit she had wanted and it made me smile!:

Gladys was born July 31, 1921 in Waddington, the daughter of Oliver and Melissa Tyo Sears. She attended Waddington schools.

She was married to Lyle F. Fleury on July 20, 1946 at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Massena, with Rev. Gerald Kellogg, officiating.

She was a homemaker and a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She was a member of the Red Hats Society and loved to play cards, fish, camp and travel. She also enjoyed bowling, having belonged to the Mr. and Mrs. League at Pappy’s for many years. More recently, she enjoyed bowling on the Wii and teaching the residents at the nursing home how to play it.

From now on when I hear thunder... I will think of you, grandma.... Bowling it up in heaven! I wish I could see you off but I know you will have more then your share of family at hand. Say hi to Grandpa for me. I know he has been waiting anxiously for this reunion. There is one little boy here that wanted me to say "Sorry we couldn't come Great Nana, I hope you liked the pictures Papa gave you. Please show Great Papa....He would have wanted to meet us." -Mikey