A Sad Day

We received a phone call at 2:00 am from Don's mom saying that
her mom had passed on. I knew that Memaw (a very southern term
for grandmother) was special, but for the few times I saw her I didn't
realize how with it she really was. She was 96 and live a good, full life.
96 is amazing. My grandmother passed on about 6 months ago and
she was 85 I think. She was 11 years younger. Eleven never really seemed
like a lot until you think of it as a difference in age when you're 96.

I always thought calling your grandmother "memaw" was quite strange.
Not growing up in the south and all...it did sound a bit unusual.
My mother-in-law always said, I want to be grandma, not memaw.

Well when Doug was learning to talk, he was babbling mommy so fast it
got turned around into memom. That was it, my mom became Memaw
and by shear luck, my mother-in-law also became Memaw. Quite an
unusual term for us northerners, but unique. My kids have given their
grandmother a name filled with love and affection. Not something everyone
hears everyday.

So today as I was telling co-workers about our loss, it dawned on me
that I would never again hear her southern drawl. That enlongated vowel sound
when saying Laura. It was more like Laaaaaaaaaaaoorrrrrrra. She would
always tell Don "Now Doooooooonnnie, you make sure to tell Laaaaaaaaaoooraaa that I said hi."

Memaw Funderburke, I hope you have your vision back, that you've seen Big Daddy, and they have McDonald's apple pies in Heaven. Peace to you. You'll be missed.