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"Nana's dead", my eight year old announced, walking through the door after school on Tuesday. "Did you know mom ?" Well, yes I knew. I was wondering how he knew. My husband's grandmother, known as Nana to my children, had left this earth several hours earlier. At the age of 95, she was ready to go. My husband and I were grateful for her peaceful passing. Apparently the word was out. The time I'd spent preparing how to tell the kids was now irrelevant.
Fast forward to today, when the funeral home visitation was lightened by whispers of the dead body being "creepy". Gathering ideas and stories about Nana's 95 years on earth was no small task. We enjoyed piecing together what we hadn't known about her life, and weaving together a eulogy, to be delivered tomorrow at the funeral mass by my husband. It is long, but I'm including it below as a loving tribute to a beautiful life. Please pray for her. And while you're add it, you might want to say a prayer that my son keeps his tie on and his shirt tucked in, too.
Mary Bone, my grandmother, was born was born in 1914. At the time, less than one percent of the population owned an automobile and Woodrow Wilson was the president of our country. Grandma would live to see sixteen more presidents take office. I know you kids will find this shocking, but television wasn’t even invented until 1927 ! Can you imagine Nana’s childhood ? Growing up in Detroit with 6 brothers and sisters, they spent their days having good old fashion family fun.
In 1932 grandma and grandpa were married. Can you imagine his twelve siblings added into the Ferrari family mix ?
When grandma was nineteen years old, she had their daughter Rosemary. Six years later, she gave birth to my father, Richard. The most important thing to Grandma was family, then and ALWAYS. Ask anyone that knew her, her kids did no wrong, even when they did She was devoted and loyal. Taking care of her family, whatever that entailed, was always her priority. She spent her life taking care of first her children, then her grandchildren and then her great grandchildren. Her love for family was never more obvious then after Aunt Rosemary”s death in 1988. She stepped in and filled her daughter’s huge shoes, for both her granddaughter Darcel and greatgranddaughter Jessica. With the birth of each great grandchild she was there to help. At the age of 84, Grandma came to Chicago after the birth of our oldest son maxwell. Out on a walk crossing a busy Chicago intersection, Grandma was so concerned about the new great grandbaby she made Sheryl, who she called Carol, get “in front of the buggy, in case any cars come “!!!! Grandma was great, but she did have a few flaws, and getting names right was one of them. She’d go through Richard, Rob, Roy just to get to Rick. Now I can understand confusing Darcel and Marcel, but going through Rosemary, Dana, Jessica Jackie to get to Kari
……It wasn’t always Grandma’s fault though. Grandpa was the master of getting her riled up. When we were kids we spent a lot of time at their house on Buster. So much time in fact, that our friends used to make fun of us. We didn’t realize until later what a precious gift we had.
As you know, Grandma was always in the kitchen, so the task of entertaining the kids fell to Grandpa. Grandpa was always good for a laugh, from the fake poop and vomit to knocking down folding chairs by swinging kids around on a burlap bag,(think bowling with chairs and gradkids) he could really get Grandma worked up with it. She’d hear the racket and come flying down stairs, waving a wooden spoon in the air and yell at Grandpa, Tony, don’t be getting those kids all sweaty ! All of the cousins remember these antics fondly.
The only thing grandma loved more than her family was cooking for them. I’m not sure you really understand the quantity of food grandma used to prepare for an ordinary dinner. First antipasto, hard Italian cheese and olives and anisette. Next, homemade chicken soup and chimell. Then homemade gnocci or ravoli, followed by veal and chicken and finally, salad. Oh, and then there was dessert! Now can you imagine what easter brunch was like… We all have our favorites of Nana’s recipies. Even as recently as last fall, she was trying to help Dana make her homemade chicken soup. Nana’s chocolate pistachio cake is legend, and it lives on now since at the age of 90, she taught Dana and Sheryl how to make it. She always happy to prepare food and help others do it as well. She did this for one reason. Because she loved her family.
Grandma touched many lives, over the span of four generations. From Uncle Roger at 100,to Jessica at 26 to Clayton at 8. Grandma loved and was loved by everyone. She was happy in her marriage, proud of her children, and found joy in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would be thrilled to see all the people here today to celebrate her life. We aren’t sad today for grandma’s passing. She had a full and blessed life. She was ready to leave this earth and did so peacefully. We are grateful for this.
Our sadness today comes from the end of an era. Grandma’s passing marks the end of so many things for our family and represents the same in the world around us. The days of playing in the streets of Detroit are long gone. And not too many people make pasta by hand in their basement anymore. These things and the love of family are what we will look back on fondly when we remember grandma.
