Wednesday Icebreaker

Frightened Inmate #2

What are a couple of things you most remember about your grandparents?

Adjunct

Paternal grandfather, adored Greg and I, was also the first funeral we went to, he died when we were four
Paternal grandmother, great lady, loved to knit, and loved Schimdts beer, we knew she was coming when my dad would pick up some Schmidts

Maternal grandfater, only met twice, do not care to met again.
Maternal grandmother, rolled her own cigarettes (Laredo brand) and taught us how to do the same)

Member

Sounds like I would've loved the grandmothers O.

Paternal grandfather: one of the greatest men to ever live. Strong, courageous, honest, loyal, hardworking. Spent a lot of time at their house in the summer, and every Thanksgiving. His sudden death when I was 12 still affects me today.

Paternal grandmother: fiesty, funny, whipsmart. The only living grandparent, it is very inspiring to see how full a life she's built for herself after the death of her husband.

Maternal grandfather: great man. Shared a shorehouse with them every summer of my life until he died when I was 16, after a ten year decline from cancer. That long slow death was one of the most painful things to witness, but he was in good spirits until he lost it at the end. He had the best sense of humor, and loved to take me and my brother comic book and candy shopping.

Maternal grandmother: literally the meanest, most vindictive person I'd ever met. I was glad to see her go a few years back, after all the sh!t she'd given my parents over the years. To say I hated her would be a serious understatement.

I'm also fortunate to remember all my great-grandparents and almost all my granduncles and grandaunts.

Member

Well, let's see...
I never met my dad's real mother. She died of cancer at age 29. My dad's dad and his wife are still around, and going strong as ever. They have the most loving relationship I have ever known and I only hope that Tracy and I are that much in love when we get that old.

My mom's mom died last year and her dad died the year before. He was an amazing man and I loved hearing his stories. She scared me since I was young. I don't think she had the best skills at babysitting or something because I remember bad things about her since I was very little. She meant well, I think, but I didn't agree with her views at all.

Adjunct

I feel bad for Abby, JJ and Hannah because they never really met Robin's parents. Her dad died before they were all born and her mom died when Abby and JJ were almost two and Hannah was not even a year.

They were great people who survived the great depression, a world war, were married for over 50 years and had some great life lessons to teach all of them.

Pyromaniac

Maternal grandmother and great grandmother - there was always something good to eat at their house.... pie, brownies, fudge.... fun grandmas, both passed away when I was in my early teens

Maternal grandfather - died when my mom was 2

Paternal grandmother no. 1 - my dad's birth mother, crotchety old womand with a bad temper. She lived with us for a few months, had alzheimers, i used to stay home from school a day or two a week to keep tabs on her because both parents worked. Not many fond memories, not really her fault though. She had rough life.
Paternal grandmother no. 2 - dad's stepmother, little tiny Swiss woman, I only got to meet her a couple of times, very nice
Paternal grandfather no. 1 - dad's birth dad - disappeared in Africa when my dad was a kid. Supposedly he was an ivory poacher and was killed while "at work"
Paternal grandfather no. 2 - dad's stepfather, little short Japanese dude, I thought the world of him. He was smart, was a black belt in karate and I loved to hear him talk. His broken English fascinated me. Died when I was 10-12 yrs old.

Member

Paternal Grandmother: visited several times from the philippines for 6 month visits when I was a kid. She didn't speak any english but could read and write some. When she was trying to communicate she would point with both her finger and her lips. She was only about 4 1/2 feet tall.

Paternal Grandfather: Never met him, he died in the Philippines when I was about 3 years old. I was told that he was the police chief for thier island and he had a casino in the basment of the family house.

Maternal Grandmother: Coolest woman I have ever met. She was a little skinny thing that once sat in the visiting lobby of Johns Hopkins Hospital smoking thru a Tracheotomy while she tried to convince her Doc that she was ready to go home. She made each of us feel like we were her favorite grandchild. She lived with us from the time I was 7 until she died when I was 15. I sat beside her bed the entire day before she died. It was the only day of her life that she wasn't active.

Maternal Grandfather: He died before I was born so I never met him. He sounds like he would have been fun since his nickname was Happy.

Member

maternal grandma: liked sweets...soft spoken...always had swollen ankles, so she wore galoshes alot....would always give us hard candy when my mom would say not too and we would always have those "choking episodes" because we didn't sit down like she said. She always carried those pink wintergreen candies in her purse.

maternal grandpa: stubborn man.....very crabby in his later years....would drive a car when he couldn't see over the wheel.....but of course, didn't listen to us when we asked him not to.

paternal grandma: very bossy, made us eat alot when we visited (and we ususally didn't like it), sulked when she wasn't the center of attention....in the midst of opening presents at birthdays, xmas....... "I want to go home now!!!!!" ---so an older sib would miss out on the fun. She was the one to help out the family when we needed it......when my mom was ill or having babies.....we stayed with this grandma......she would have me and my two other sisters sleep crossways on the bed and she would sneak in the room early in the morning and tickle our feet.

paternal grandpa: never knew....died when dad was a kid

Grandpa Claude (step): liked his whiskey, cheated at cards, gave me money for the candy store when I stayed over night.

Member

Dad's father:
He was a cotton sharecropper and rancher in west Texas. I didn't know him until after his working years but my father told me stories of him working 7 days a week 365 days a year. It was a common sight for him to have to wrap his hands before dinner because they would bleed.
For years his family lived in a two bedroom house that had dirt floors.

Mom's father:
Didn' know him very well. I do know he would grow tomoatoes to sell during one part of the year then jump a train like a hobo to ride it to west Texas where he stayed a few months to work the cotton fields.

Both epitimized what it means to be a man.

The Pinball

dad's parents: completely Italian. no-speaky english. Ellis Island all the way with nine kids. cute little Italian folks struggling to make it here. i was 5 or 6 when they both died.

mom's parents: completely German. born in the US, hard working, very loving. always always always had little gifts for us when we visited.

Member

Maternal Grandfather - had alzheimers most of my life and called me "Julie" most of the time. (notice I am not Julzoo) Told great stories regardless of if they were true of not.

Maternal Grandmother - my favorite relative until her death (and probably still). Loved to eat Pizza, watch game shows, spoil us, and play cards. Everytime I would visit I was guaranteed a trip to Noble Romans (I miss that pizza) and Red Lobster. (usually Steak and Shake too) She came from Germany as a child, and graduated from Butler long before women went to college. She hid her illness and lived long enough to take care of Grandpa til he died. She went a few months later.

Paternal Grandfather - died when I was 10. Had a great Christmas tie that lighted up. Loved going to Purdue games, I don't think I ever saw him where he wasn't in a suit and tie. He kept a can of dinner mints in his Cadilac so all the grandkids loved to ride with him.

Paternal Grandmother - died when I was very young, 4. I am her namesake (and have my other grandmother's name as my middle name) and just remember she was a warm, lovely lady. My only vivid memory is taking a train ride with her to visit my Aunt.

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