I turn to Coffe.

Lady, please forgive me.

To be read at her funeral today.

Grandma Deane…Tutu as she once liked Emily and I to call her. I think it meant “great-grandma” in Hawaiian.

It was a privilege to have my great-grandmother in my life. She really wanted to be involved in our lives too. Once she told me that her happiest times were being a part of me and Emily’s lives.  She really loved helping out with my wedding. She took some excellent  pictures with her own camera. I love them because all the shots are angled up because she was in a wheel chair. She paid for the chocolate fountains, fruit, and scones that everyone will remember, and also the Greek feast at the reception. That’s something else she loved, was good food. She was taking down recipes from the food network on TV even when she wasn’t physically able to cook.

I enjoyed my times with her at her home in Gresham. I could visit her more often because she lived near me. sometimes I didn’t know what to say or do because it was hard to communicate with her due to her hearing problem. But we did communicate–sometimes with help from a pen and paper. She was always interested in what my family was doing. She always had something to tell me about her life too.

It was particularly touching to me when she talked about seeing her parents. Once she told me that she heard her father talking in the other room and that it was soo good to hear his voice. She really loved and missed her Dad. I think now she is happily reunited with him and others who have gone before her.

Something that I greatly admire about Grandma Dean is her strength to raise two beautiful daughters as a single Mom.

I love how she wanted Hillary Clinton to be president, how she kept track of the market, and like to talk about the economy from an accountant’s perspective, how she was always proper, how she loved fine clothes and couldn’t stand not matching. Then of course her sweet smile- which communicated the most important things to us…her delight in being a part of our lives.

Of course I wish I could have known her better, but I’m so grateful that she was in my life. Thank you Grandma.