User:DebShirley/Sandbox

These wonderful people are my great grandparents. I was fortunate enough to know all of them except for Albert Myers, who died a year or so before I was born. I most remember Clyde Wing, Mildred Dickson, Gertrude Bridwell and Bertha Tiffany. Clyde died when I was about seven years old, and those three great grandmothers all lived until I was in my teens. I actually remember them quite well. I learned quite a bit about God from Mildred and Gertrude. I know both were Christians and had strong faith. I remember that Bertha had the most delightful smelling carnations planted in front of her mobile home; I used to breathe in great gulps of that almost clove scented air when I went to see her. She always had lemon drops in a candy dish on her table and was usually watching roller derby or wrestling, as I seem to recall. Gertrude had a cute sense of humor. She was as sharp as a tack and I remember many a Thanksgiving dinner in her home. I remember being allowed to wander through it and she had African Violets in the sun room at the back. My brother and I used to like to hang out in the covered barbecue/patio area. I loved going to see her. Mildred moved in with my family when I was about 16. I mostly learned to pray from her. Before she came to live with us, we'd visit her in Sedona and I slept in her room on a kind of exercise bench. We'd kneel down every night and pray for what seemed like hours! When she came to visit us in Chino, she stayed in my room and it was the same. She would always find little chores to do that my mom never seemed to get to, like cleaning our dog Pepper's food and water dish outside. I am so happy to have THIS group of great grandparents. I know that those I did not know well still contributed to making me who I am today because of their influences on their children and grandchildren, and I'm very thankful to them.