09/22/2026
My grandmother passed away yesterday. I wanted to compose something beautiful in her memory but words are hard right now.
She had a creative, smart, beautiful soul. If you wondered if art runs in my family, she made this cross for us as a wedding gift, and her home and garden were filled to bursting with all of her creations.
Up until recent years she still drove two hours to be a part of an orchestra where she played her beloved trumpet for fun. She beat all of us at Pinochle every time, and sat patiently next to me as I learned the piano, turning pages and teaching me as she went.
The last couple years were hard as we watched cruel dementia claim her mind. I was so grateful that we were able to visit her last summer, and I’ll never forget waving goodbye. We understood that would be the last time we saw her in this life.
I’m so thankful we don’t grieve without hope. She loved Jesus her whole life, and I know I’ll see her again.
As she got to where she wasn’t able to answer a lot of my questions, I would call and listen to her tell me stories about her childhood- the longterm memories that stuck. And she told me that her mother told her that as she played the trumpet in the church orchestra, she should never ever play a song if she hadn’t read the words. And then, with so many other areas of her memory failing, she proceeded to rattle off the words to a hymn perfectly. She had learned these dear words long ago, and had played the corresponding notes countless times in worship ever since.
I hope that when my memory fails me, I remember the words of life clearly until the end.
We’re heartbroken, but oh so grateful that she’s not suffering anymore, and that she gets to worship Jesus in His presence. I have no idea if we’ll play instruments in heaven, but with Grandmommy there, I feel like there must at least be a brass section 💜
