When I was in my early teens or maybe just shy of my teens Audrey took me and Claudia to Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Marineland, etc.  We had a great time!! On the way back, if I remember correctly, we ran short on money and didn't have quite enough for all of us to stay at a motel one night.  I was told to scrunch down in the car so I couldn't be seen, Audrey then parked it a bit away from the motel office while her & Claudia went in to register.  The car was then moved close to our room and I had to sneak in!!!  What a thing to teach your young and impressionable sister...

She was the first person I went up in the Space Needle with---

I used to go to California every summer, by train, to stay with her when she lived in San Leandro and I remember going camping and sleeping under the stars.

I miss my big sister... 

I think this is my favorite picture of Grandma, ever! Does anyone know the story behind it?

From what I remember, this was the best ever 4th of July. We had so many cookies and fruit! All followed by the traditional lighting of fireworks in the field. I'm sure grandma sat on the porch under a blanket with Brigid by her feet.

Why is grandma wearing toilet paper?

Many times throughout our childhood Audrey watched Elizabeth and me. In her last few days on Earth, a particular memory of her babysitting us kept coming back to me.

We had just finished dinner and the three of us were sitting at the kitchen table. She was telling us stories of how she would come to Puyallup to pick berries in the summertime, just down the street from my parents’ house and near my (then) current elementary school when she was younger. Long days in the hot sunshine, eating and picking rasp-, straw-, and blueberries. They would only get pennies for the bushel, but it seemed like the experience was the real payoff. Naturally Elizabeth and I didn’t want to go to bed, so we asked Audrey to keep talking. She told us of her time in the Navy, stationed in Astoria (I believe). She told us how the women would starch their clothes every week so that their collars were always straight and their skirts wouldn’t wrinkle after sitting down. Apparently back then the military enforced a light curfew in order to keep the coastline hidden at night time. Likely because of these stories, I remember giving Audrey a “thank you for your service” card I made at school and writing her name on a star that was part of the Veteran’s Day Assembly. I consider myself fortunate to have a grandmother that served our country.

Grandma lived with us a few times throughout my life. She watched me grow up and was there for the bad and the good. When she moved into her little house about a mile down the street she was often over for late breakfasts and dinner. Somewhere in my teen years I was deemed the family cook, and Audrey was always there to investigate. She would ask, “Why are you doing that?” and make comments like, “I’ve never seen anyone do that before…” but in the end she would always enjoy the meals I prepared. No matter how weird my techniques were to her she would always finish a meal with “Well well, Madeline, you’re turning into a darn fine chef!” When I moved out and off to college she asked, “Now who’s going to make us lunch? How are we going to eat while you’re gone?” Audrey loved to cook, particularly bake.  It’s quite a compliment to have your cooking approved by your grandmother. Now I've formulated my own recipe for the perfect pie crust, a mixture of my mother's and Audrey's techniques.

She watched me graduate high school, move off to college, and move even further away to Alaska. Grandma Audrey was always supportive of my work, even if it meant that I was too far away to cook for her. She lived through the Depression, provided support during the Korean War, and raised four children as a working mother. I feel that she is proud of what she saw her grandkids accomplish. Kirk’s initial response to hearing about her passing was, “She won’t be there for our wedding.” Yes, Audrey will unfortunately be absent from our day of union but at least she got the chance to welcome Kirk into the family.  

I’m saddened that I was not near for her final days, but fortunately I have many unforgettable memories of my Grandma Audrey.

Mom hadn't been feeling well.  She felt full, couldn't eat a thing, just felt, overall, really yucky.  It had been going on for a while, but she hadn't said a word to anyone; that just wasn't her way. She finally told me she wasn't feeling well.  The next day, we went to the ER. 

Tests were done; CBC, CT, plethora tests I can't recall. Finally, the doctor came in and, in quite a shocked voice, told us that Mom had cancer. Ovarian cancer. Mom sighed, said she "knew something was wrong."  She shed no tears until I did.

It was Peggy's birthday and mom's great-grandson Ian had been born two days prior. The world tilted a little that day.

Mom was lucky to get a great doctor.  She jumped in to treatment with high hopes of beating it. And for 3 years, she fought. In addition to the chemo, she had a major surgery and spent a lot of time in the hospital. Chemotherapy can be a wonderful thing and it does help a lot of people.  With Mom, it helped for a while; then, it began to make her feel worse rather than better.

She had her last treatment in December 2014 and decided in February 2015 not to resume chemo.

March was a very difficult month. We began caring for her at home 24/7, and we were constantly with her.  By the end of March, all five of us kids were by her side. It was a tough time;  we were all together in a small house, sleeping in shifts, eating when we could. Words, tears and emotions ran high, but we were all united by Mom, by caring for her and cherishing her last days.

On April 2nd, we were able to get Mom into Franciscan Hospice House in University Place. They were wonderful to us all, but especially wonderful to Mom.  It took some time to get the medication to a level that allowed her rest without pain, but throughout her stay, the hospice staff were very attentive to her needs. Attending to ours as well, they took time in the middle of the night to talk to and comfort us, happy to let us continue to spend every night with Mom.

On the morning of April 6th, Mom's body finally caught up with her mind and spirit, which had been ready for days. She was fearless and at peace when she began the next stage of her life.

I am honored to have been there with her at the end, grateful that she allowed me to touch and talk to her.  I can only hope I was as much of a comfort to her as she was to me.

We have all learned a lesson, or probably a few, from this experience. The past is in the past, nothing matters but the present and the future. Tell those you love that you love them. Hug those you want to hug. Say the wonderful and difficult things you need to say to show someone how much you love them and appreciate having them in your life. Life itself is a struggle; let's try to make it a bit easier for others while we're here.

Please, if you don't feel well, see your doctor. If your doctor doesn't listen, see a different doctor. Only you know if something is not right. You know your body better than anyone. Don't give up, there is always an answer.

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/index

Now, go organize your photos.

Gail