Hergert Family 1984
Grandma's Eulogy by Marty 5/23/2012
We are here today to honor the life and memory of a special woman. As a sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend she touched all of our lives in many ways. She gave us life, nurtured us, celebrated in our successes and comforted us in failure. She was our support and a constant presence in our lives. She was the pillar of our family.
As I contemplated the words that I would say today, I heard my grandmother's voice and I heard her say "God give me strength." And that's what I said to myself. God give me strength to bear witness to her life and capture in a brief moment what she meant to us, how she lived her life, and what was important to her.
Grandma was a very private person. She lived in a present. When I started to research our family history, I sent her a letter asking about her childhood. I wanted to know what it was like to grow up during the depression. I asked about where she went to school and what life was like in a small town. I asked about her father. I got back a note with her children's names and birth dates along with some other family members to contact. She was quiet about her past.
Eleanor Nadine Stephan was born Dec. 6, 1924 in Arcadia, Kansas, the first child of Dessie Fern Smith and Cecil Corder Stepan. Dessie or Fern (who most of us know as Grandma Jenkins) was just 16 years old when Eleanor was born. Cecil was a steam shovel operator for a coal mine. Cecil and Dessie had another daughter Eva Frances Stephan three years later. The girls were very young when Cecil was killed by a boiler explosion of the steam shovel in 1935. Fern was remarried to Vernal Jenkins, a widower from Garland, Kansas. Eleanor's family grew when Grandma Jenkins had Kay, Sonny, and Joe. New brothers and sisters that I know she cared dearly for and remained close to all her life.
My grandfather Leon was among the servicemen returning from the pacific in 1946. Eleanor met him in Kansas City and they were married on June 22, 1947 in Great Bend, Kansas at 22 years old. They lived in Ellinwood, Kansas where Stephan, David, and Sue Ann were born. They eventually moved to Nevada where Karen, Phil, and Mark were born. Grandma worked at Edmunston's in Nevada. She was the young, blue-eyed and dark haired beauty who used to dress the mannequins in the display windows.
She was blessed with many grandchildren. My grandmother was just 45 years old when I was born. She was like another mother to me. Mark and Phil were like my older brothers. From an early age, I remember how we used to visit her at Mattingly's when we would come to Nevada. I'd walk the aisles until I found her and then across to give her a hug. She cherished all of the ten grand kids -- Jeremy, Derek, Andrew, Keenan, Matthew, Lisa, A.J., Zach, and Brandon.
I used to stay with her during the summer or when my parents were traveling. I recall picking Mark up from work at the White Grill when he was 15. Grandma would pull over near Nevada Hospital to let Mark drive the rest of the way. Once she was trying to find a parking spot just off the square in downtown Nevada. She hesitated to park in a parallel spot. And I being all of eight years old told her, you just turn the wheels and reverse into the spot. She laughed and said, "That's right you tell you grandma how it's done."
She went back to school at 73 years old when she was laid off from Place's. She got computer training and learned accounting. I was fond of telling people that my grandmother had gone back to school and back to work well beyond retirement age. She was dedicated and hard working. She thrived on being part of the community -- via work, the church, or volunteering.
She was humble and hardworking. She cherished her family. I called grandma when Flora was born to share the news of her first great grandchild and to revel in the remarkable fact that the Hergert line could produce more than one girl. She told me later she was "tickled" by my phone call. Six months later when she was able to see and hold Flora and her second great-grandchild Kloey, she was all smiles.
Since the stroke in 2007, she lived at Christian Healthcare center in Nevada. The family is forever greatful to the care she received there. The heart warming stories she told us about the CHC staff let us know that each and everyone cared for her. Lou Jenkins visited grandma daily at CHC. She often timed her visits so they could watch General Hospital and Jeopardy together.
Without her we are ships that have lost our port. We are cast adrift. Grandma didn't talk about how to live or how to lead a fulfilling life. The way she lived is testament to what she believed. She believed in us being together, gathering as family to support each other. She took time to celebrate our progress through life. Each and every one of my birthdays, a card from grandma was in the mail. Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving were meant for family. As we set a new course without her, we must remember the lessons she taught through her actions -- that love for your family and devotion to cherishing and supporting those around you should drives us forward. That light should be a beacon to us in this dark time. And her words should always be with us "God give us strength." Strength to understand as we lay her body to rest in the earth and strength to help lift her spirit to the sky. And strength to ourselves as we continue on. God give us all strength.
We are here today to honor the life and memory of a special woman. As a sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend she touched all of our lives in many ways. She gave us life, nurtured us, celebrated in our successes and comforted us in failure. She was our support and a constant presence in our lives. She was the pillar of our family.
As I contemplated the words that I would say today, I heard my grandmother's voice and I heard her say "God give me strength." And that's what I said to myself. God give me strength to bear witness to her life and capture in a brief moment what she meant to us, how she lived her life, and what was important to her.
Grandma was a very private person. She lived in a present. When I started to research our family history, I sent her a letter asking about her childhood. I wanted to know what it was like to grow up during the depression. I asked about where she went to school and what life was like in a small town. I asked about her father. I got back a note with her children's names and birth dates along with some other family members to contact. She was quiet about her past.
Eleanor Nadine Stephan was born Dec. 6, 1924 in Arcadia, Kansas, the first child of Dessie Fern Smith and Cecil Corder Stepan. Dessie or Fern (who most of us know as Grandma Jenkins) was just 16 years old when Eleanor was born. Cecil was a steam shovel operator for a coal mine. Cecil and Dessie had another daughter Eva Frances Stephan three years later. The girls were very young when Cecil was killed by a boiler explosion of the steam shovel in 1935. Fern was remarried to Vernal Jenkins, a widower from Garland, Kansas. Eleanor's family grew when Grandma Jenkins had Kay, Sonny, and Joe. New brothers and sisters that I know she cared dearly for and remained close to all her life.
My grandfather Leon was among the servicemen returning from the pacific in 1946. Eleanor met him in Kansas City and they were married on June 22, 1947 in Great Bend, Kansas at 22 years old. They lived in Ellinwood, Kansas where Stephan, David, and Sue Ann were born. They eventually moved to Nevada where Karen, Phil, and Mark were born. Grandma worked at Edmunston's in Nevada. She was the young, blue-eyed and dark haired beauty who used to dress the mannequins in the display windows.
She was blessed with many grandchildren. My grandmother was just 45 years old when I was born. She was like another mother to me. Mark and Phil were like my older brothers. From an early age, I remember how we used to visit her at Mattingly's when we would come to Nevada. I'd walk the aisles until I found her and then across to give her a hug. She cherished all of the ten grand kids -- Jeremy, Derek, Andrew, Keenan, Matthew, Lisa, A.J., Zach, and Brandon.
I used to stay with her during the summer or when my parents were traveling. I recall picking Mark up from work at the White Grill when he was 15. Grandma would pull over near Nevada Hospital to let Mark drive the rest of the way. Once she was trying to find a parking spot just off the square in downtown Nevada. She hesitated to park in a parallel spot. And I being all of eight years old told her, you just turn the wheels and reverse into the spot. She laughed and said, "That's right you tell you grandma how it's done."
She went back to school at 73 years old when she was laid off from Place's. She got computer training and learned accounting. I was fond of telling people that my grandmother had gone back to school and back to work well beyond retirement age. She was dedicated and hard working. She thrived on being part of the community -- via work, the church, or volunteering.
She was humble and hardworking. She cherished her family. I called grandma when Flora was born to share the news of her first great grandchild and to revel in the remarkable fact that the Hergert line could produce more than one girl. She told me later she was "tickled" by my phone call. Six months later when she was able to see and hold Flora and her second great-grandchild Kloey, she was all smiles.
Since the stroke in 2007, she lived at Christian Healthcare center in Nevada. The family is forever greatful to the care she received there. The heart warming stories she told us about the CHC staff let us know that each and everyone cared for her. Lou Jenkins visited grandma daily at CHC. She often timed her visits so they could watch General Hospital and Jeopardy together.
Without her we are ships that have lost our port. We are cast adrift. Grandma didn't talk about how to live or how to lead a fulfilling life. The way she lived is testament to what she believed. She believed in us being together, gathering as family to support each other. She took time to celebrate our progress through life. Each and every one of my birthdays, a card from grandma was in the mail. Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving were meant for family. As we set a new course without her, we must remember the lessons she taught through her actions -- that love for your family and devotion to cherishing and supporting those around you should drives us forward. That light should be a beacon to us in this dark time. And her words should always be with us "God give us strength." Strength to understand as we lay her body to rest in the earth and strength to help lift her spirit to the sky. And strength to ourselves as we continue on. God give us all strength.
Comments
Post a Comment