Nanny
My Nanny (my father's mother) passed away. I went to the viewing last night and am leaving in a few minutes for the funeral this afternoon. If you didn't know my Nanny, I am sorry. She was such a fun person - I have so many funny sayings, stories and memories of her. She was the one that would bust out into song, had a contagious laugh and always had dental floss in her purse.
I am sitting here trying to narrow down my memories of Nanny into a single entry, and I'm finding it to be a very difficult task. Nanny is in so many of my memories. She was at every program, every recital, graduation or event with a new dress and a smile on her face - a proud Grandmother.
I remember shopping with her in the malls for dresses, sitting around the table playing games and cards, cooking in the kitchen and watching old movies with her in the bedroom at night. I remember watching her get ready as a little girl. She'd spray her hair and "look for holes", dap some lipstick on her cheeks for rouge and pull out a round container of bath powder and cover herself from head to toe in that perfumed dust - all the while singing a hymn or a silly song - only to be occasionally interrupted by laughter or a funny story. She always had a fun way about her and to a little 7-year-old granddaughter watching her every move - she was perfect.
She always made the holidays fun as kids - going to put up the tree and pulling out the Christmas dishes. Nanny running around the house singing in her holiday outfits complete with Christmas pins, making martha washingtons and fudge. Most of us would be crammed in the kitchen to watch and visit, the 8-track playing, she'd pass by someone in her path to the cupboard and grab them for a quick dance and we'd all fill the room with laughter.
But I think some of my favorite memories, and the place she influenced me the most, was going with her to school to be her "special helper". It wasn't just The Billy Goats Gruff on the flannel board, or Are You My Mother at story time. It wasn't just singing and rubbing backs at nap or playing duck-duck-goose with us outside. It was the way that Nanny treated those little kids. She loved each and every one of them - even the stinkers. She was patience and loving and approached each situation with a sense of humor. She taught them to bow their heads before lunch and the Christmas story with the program each year. She taught them not to hit and how to listen. She taught them colors and numbers and letters, but she taught them so much more. She taught me so much more by watching her example year after year. I think of how many little lives that she affected and how many little kids looked forward to seeing her each day - and just like I did - thought she was perfect.
Her obituary is found here: www.tylerpaper.com if you'd like to know more. Just click on obituaries and then Martha Elizabeth Milam Singleton.
I am sitting here trying to narrow down my memories of Nanny into a single entry, and I'm finding it to be a very difficult task. Nanny is in so many of my memories. She was at every program, every recital, graduation or event with a new dress and a smile on her face - a proud Grandmother.
I remember shopping with her in the malls for dresses, sitting around the table playing games and cards, cooking in the kitchen and watching old movies with her in the bedroom at night. I remember watching her get ready as a little girl. She'd spray her hair and "look for holes", dap some lipstick on her cheeks for rouge and pull out a round container of bath powder and cover herself from head to toe in that perfumed dust - all the while singing a hymn or a silly song - only to be occasionally interrupted by laughter or a funny story. She always had a fun way about her and to a little 7-year-old granddaughter watching her every move - she was perfect.
She always made the holidays fun as kids - going to put up the tree and pulling out the Christmas dishes. Nanny running around the house singing in her holiday outfits complete with Christmas pins, making martha washingtons and fudge. Most of us would be crammed in the kitchen to watch and visit, the 8-track playing, she'd pass by someone in her path to the cupboard and grab them for a quick dance and we'd all fill the room with laughter.
But I think some of my favorite memories, and the place she influenced me the most, was going with her to school to be her "special helper". It wasn't just The Billy Goats Gruff on the flannel board, or Are You My Mother at story time. It wasn't just singing and rubbing backs at nap or playing duck-duck-goose with us outside. It was the way that Nanny treated those little kids. She loved each and every one of them - even the stinkers. She was patience and loving and approached each situation with a sense of humor. She taught them to bow their heads before lunch and the Christmas story with the program each year. She taught them not to hit and how to listen. She taught them colors and numbers and letters, but she taught them so much more. She taught me so much more by watching her example year after year. I think of how many little lives that she affected and how many little kids looked forward to seeing her each day - and just like I did - thought she was perfect.
Her obituary is found here: www.tylerpaper.com if you'd like to know more. Just click on obituaries and then Martha Elizabeth Milam Singleton.
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