Grandma Pearl was a real class act. Everyone loved her.
When she passed away, all of our friends came to her funeral
to show their support for our family, and they all said the same thing… “I’m so
sorry for your loss…” and they would
start to choke up. And they said “I know
she’s your Grandma, but I loved her too.”
You see, she was everyone’s Grandma.
Yesterday at her funeral, my mom, brother, cousin and I all
got up to speak about her, and we all touched on the same theme: Grandma Pearl always knew what you
needed. Grandma Pearl never let you
leave empty handed. Grandma Pearl
touched everyone that she met.
Grandma Pearl always had a lot to say.
When I pushed her wheelchair down the hall of the nursing
home, she would brag “These are my grandchildren. I have fifteen great-grandchildren!”
She would say, “I need new hips” or “The lady down the hall
is meshugina” and instead of “OK” she would say “KO…KO.”
Usually she said things like “Are you sure you don’t want
any chocolate? I have plenty of
candy! Here, I have some soda for
you. You want a cookie? You sure you don’t want a cookie? You sure?
Okay, how about a cracker then?”
But the only reason it would appear as though she were
encouraging eating disorders was because she cared…about everyone. She loved taking care of all of us. She was a great listener. She always had wise words to share. And she enjoyed going places.
Just yesterday after the funeral, we pulled up to the burial
site. I was about to get out of the car
but turned back to get a tissue. Once
again, Grandma knew just what I needed…for there in the consule was the last
thing she ever gave me…a small box of tissues…because when I needed one, she
handed me the whole box. I wasn’t allowed
to leave empty handed.
I’ll never forget weekends at the Pines Hotel, summers at
the Bungalos, endless summer afternoons in the pool at her Staten Island House,
taking us to the circus, Chanukah parties with mountains of presents, sitting
around chatting over coffee, Passover seders that sat 30, family reunions, Grandparents
visiting day at School, attempting to teach me to cook, attempting to teach me
to crochet, attempting to teach me to play mah jong, dancing at my wedding,
watching her play pat-a-cake with Goofball at his first birthday– she was there
for every event, big or small. You could
always count on Grandma.
I don’t usually remember my dreams, but when I was pregnant
I had some real vivid ones. One dream I
remember took place at the Bungalos. We
were all running around having fun and Grandma was sitting at a picnic
table. She thought she was alone, but
Grandpa Harry was there. In my dream, I
was the only one who saw him there. He
was sitting right next to her with his head in his hand lovingly watching
her….just like he never left her.
And now they are back together.
It will all be good now, Grandma….because you can dance with
Grandpa, and neither of you will need a wheelchair.
It will all be good now, Grandma, because you could play Volleyball
in heaven, and you hips won’t hurt.
It will all be good now, Grandma, because you are back
together with Grandpa.
We will miss you dearly and our hearts are broken, but we will all be OK, because we know that you are in a better place. We will all be OK. We will all be KO.
