My grandmother was an AMAZING woman. Sadly, on May 2, she passed in the night. She was a strong woman who did everything from battling polio, breast cancer and heart disease, to raising 4 wonderful children and 8 grandchildren. She was a pioneer, pre-feminism feminist and incredible philanthropist. She will be missed every single day. Below is the reading the grandchildren put together for her funeral.
I miss you Grammy.
There are 8 of us grandchildren, now aging from 12 to 30. Growing up, we didn’t all live in the same city, but we never felt physical distance that separated us. This was because of our grandmother. Grammy was the energy that brought the family together and made us feel like a unit. She had so much love to give and we all felt it. She taught us the values of fairness and equality in a world that doesn’t always treat everyone equally. She taught us that family is family, no matter where you come from or what you look like. And most importantly, that family is something to take pride in and to cherish.
Grammy taught us how to cherish family by instilling in all of us the value of tradition. These were not just traditions, but the foundation of a stable and happy family. These values are what brought us together for everything from holidays like Thanksgiving, to rituals like B’nai Mitzvahs, and even what some of us called Camp Grammy during the summer. She brought us together, and what she taught us will keep us together.
We are all lucky to have had her as a pivotal role model. Now that we have added 2 spouses and a great-grandchild, some of whom will never have the honor knowing our amazing grandmother, we know that they will continue to benefit from her wisdom and goodness. Grammy’s presence and the legacy that her golden heart has created will forever be a part of our lives. She will continue to guide us as we move forward and create families of our own. Not only will future Alters be able to enjoy great stories about our Grammy, but their lives will be better because of her life.
