My Tribute to Grandma

 

Her name is Margaret Ellen Saczko, but to me she is “Grandma.”
She was born August 28th, 1924 and she lived a long life of 88 years until last Friday night when her soul parted and left her worn out body behind.  
Because Grandma lived either with my family or just a quick bike ride away all my life, the thought of “grandma” is almost synonymous for me with the thought of “home.”
I only knew her for the last 32 years of her life.  I can only remember Grandma as an old lady, but I know she was in fact young once upon a time, and I did learn a bit about her earlier years from the stories and photographs she would share with me. 
She was born in West Virginia and moved to Detroit, Michigan when she was still small, but she continued to pronounce the word wash as “warsh” for the rest of her life.  She was the firstborn child of deaf parents.  They went on to have 5 more children, and only my grandma and one boy were hearing. 
When I was little she taught me the sign language alphabet along with me learning to say my ABC’s.  When I was little we also played a lot of card games, and she would often sign the numbers while saying them.  “Do you have an 8?” while touching together thumb and middle finger. “No, go fish.”
When I was about 10 I really liked teddy bears.  Grandma picked up on that and I think I got teddy bear stuff from her for the next 5 birthdays and Christmases.
In her youth grandma developed a love for reading which continued throughout her life.  She used to visit the library and check out an enormous pile of books each time.  When her eyes couldn’t see well enough to read anymore, she listened for hours each day to books on tape with her machine from the Society for the Blind.  She was ready to tell about the story she was reading to anyone willing to listen.  Sometimes when she was ready to put the headphones back on she would say “well, I’m off to Scotland again” or “I’m going back to New York” or wherever the story in her book took place. 
During World War II my grandma worked in an airplane engine factory.  After that she spent many years working as a waitress, and she had stories from those days such as the time her customers in a fancy restaurant didn’t know what to do with their “finger bowls” of water, meant to be used to clean their hands, and they drank it, much to her amusement. 
At age 20 my grandma had her first baby and she gave birth to the last of 6 at age 40.  Somewhere in there she met my grandfather and there was a sweet love between them until my grandfather died shortly before I was born.  My mom is a middle child of the 6 kids and she and all of my aunts and uncles turned out to be exceptionally wonderful people.  Grandma’s eyes would shine with pride whenever she would talk about any of her kids or grandkids (or great-grandkids.)  She said that her legacy of her children and grandchildren was what she was most proud of and her greatest accomplishment in life.
After my grandfather’s death, my grandma earned a university degree and then moved from Detroit to join my family in Minnesota.  She kept herself busy with countless craft projects and by spending time caring for some of her 13 grandchildren and later some of her 7 great-grandchildren.
During my junior high and high school years Grandma lived on her own in a small apartment about a mile from our house.   She was always ready to welcome me over for a visit and even let me spend the night whenever I wanted.  Grandma never got mad or yelled; Grandma was there to give hugs and smiles and newton cookies.  She let me listen to her collection of old music and taught me silly songs like “Mairzy Doats.”  She loved old movies; especially the ones with lots of singing and dancing.  Sometimes she would ask me if I knew who so and so actor was, and I would have no idea who he was, I’d have to say “no Grandma, I think so and so was in the movies like 25 years before I was born.”  I watched every movie Shirley Temple ever made because Grandma had them all.
When I was in college Grandma moved in with my mom and lived with her in the big white house on 5^th Street for the last 12 years.   
A lot of things about Grandma made me smile.  Her standard outfit was pants, a shirt, slippers on her feet, and the ever present cobbler’s smock.  It was rare for any of the colors or patterns to match.  She smelled like Noxzema and baby powder – both of which she applied daily in large quantities. 
She enjoyed animals and sometimes would talk about pets she’d had before I was born, like Tiki the dog.  I do remember her big grey cat Smoky and how sad she was when he had to be put to sleep.  When I left for Africa my dog Rascal stayed behind with my mom, and at first she seemed kind of indifferent to him.  That didn’t last long and soon they were good buddies and Rascal was one of Grandma’s favorite topics of conversation.  It made me happy to see them playing fetch or tug of war with Grandma sitting in her chair by the windows.  Grandma gave him plenty of treats like the last bite of her daily peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white toast cut into squares.  She always drank instant coffee, chocolate Ovaltine, and lots of milk.  For dinner she wanted loads of butter put on everything, even the meat.  When I commented to my mom that it probably wasn’t good for Grandma to have quite so much butter every day, Mom replied that at 88 years old Grandma can do whatever she wants.  She took her dinner into her room to eat while watching the news or Wheel of Fortune. 
My grandma was entertained by moving musical toys.  Anyone who came into the house was likely to be shown the kicking leprechaun, the piano-playing snowman, or the birthday ScoobyDoo.
Strangers quickly became friends; anyone who came into the house was also likely to be hugged by Grandma before leaving.  This included people there to visit my mom, workers from Senior Friends, delivery people, and repairmen.  Grandma had enough hugs and enough love to go around.  She was called “Grandma” by many that weren’t her actual grandchildren.   

My mom told me that Grandma prayed with her and found peace with God 2 days before she passed away.  I rejoice to imagine that one day I will dance with my grandma on the streets of gold in heaven. 
Grandma was always there for me.  Things will never again be the same for me in going home.
She is no longer here with us, so I can’t hold her in my arms for any more hugs, but I will hold her forever in my heart.  I am proud to be part of the legacy of Margaret Saczko, my grandma.
I love you Grandma.