Goobye Grandma

Last night I woke up from a dream thinking of my Dad. A few seconds later the phone rang, and it was him calling to tell me my Grandma Viv passed away. She had taken a turn for the worse in September after having a stroke, and then several infections. We had been expecting her to pass away soon, but no one knew when. Even though I'm prepared for it I can't stop crying off and on. I'm going to miss her.

She was a wonderful grandma to me. She always had lots of delicious cookies, and food ready when you went to visit. You never left her house hungry. A couple of times in the past I have interviewed her for history projects about strong women. Her story is on record now at Washington State University, and I'm very glad that I submitted her as my subject. She lived a very full life. She was the oldest of 10 children. Her mother died when she was 15, and she took on care for the family. She was a Manager at Safeway during World War II, but gave up her position when the "boys came home." She worked at Safeway for 30 years. By the time she left there, she knew almost everyone in town. (She had so many friends that there were over 200 people at her 80th birthday.) She loved to dance. When I came back to Washington for college I went and stayed with her for a week or so, and she wanted to take me to a dance with her. She taught me to 10 step polka in nothing but her bra and underwear. That will be one of my favorite memories of her for the rest of my life. I know where I get my love of dancing. More recently, after college we became closer. We talked about more difficult life things like marriage, and family problems. She helped me through some tough times, and I learned a lot about what she's been through. It only made me admire her more. I'm glad I talked to her about those things, before her memory started to deteriorate. Otherwise, I may never have known, because those aren't things that family talks about much. I'm going to miss her very much, but I know she lived a full 91 years, and that no small thing.

~Vivian Laura Tollefson Hewitt Rousu

May 29, 1917- November 16, 2008

May she rest in peace.