My Memaw

Three years ago, my family lost Memaw...my grandmother on my mom's side.  Mary Viola Brown Watson was 82 when she passed away after several weeks in Hospice care at home.  And although I get sad sometimes thinking her not being with us anymore, most days I can look back, remember, and smile.

My Memaw was an amazing woman with a bright, contagious laugh.  She was a wonderful Southern cook--her green beans are still the best I have EVER eaten.  I can't seem to ever do mine as well, no matter how many times I try.  She was a superior hostess--from fancy holiday meals to the usual Sunday afternoon lunch--everything was done on time and presented impeccably.  She could have been a professional floral artist.  Her arrangements for her own table as well at the altar at church still make me jealous when my own attempts can't rival hers!  She was a great (and competitive) golfer.  It took something extremely serious for her to miss her tee times with her ladies.  She LOVED college football and would NOT sit down when watching her Crimson Tide play.  And although I chose to attend "the other school" (according to her), I am pretty sure that my love of college football and my inability to sit still during games is hereditary.  She was extremely kind.  I was blessed to be able to grow up right next door to my grandparents, and so I got to do more with her than the average granddaughter would be able.  I remember visits to the Love Pantry--a goodwill food store in my hometown where she would volunteer once a week.  I remember her hugging me close and for a long time when I was crying at my other grandmother's funeral (Mama Jewel) when I was in 2nd grade.  I remember sick days on her couch watching the noon Jeopardy together and her ready supply of 7-up for such times.  I remember when I would come home from Auburn on the weekends, always going next door to say good-bye before heading back down to campus, and when she'd hug me, she'd usually press a 10 or 20 dollar bill into my hand and simply say, "Pizza money."  I remember her sitting next to me at my Alabama baby shower and helping me open gifts.  And I remember coming home to see her one last time and to introduce her to her great-grandson Liam, who was a little over 6 months old at the time.  It was the last week of her life, and she was not very present most of the time.  But when I brought Liam into the room, her face lit up and she KNEW immediately who he was.  He even started banging his hand on her medical bed, and she found the strength to say, "Don't let him hurt his little hand."  It is a precious last memory.

She was a lovely woman, and I miss her.  But I am grateful to be able to carry on some of her traditions (remember her deviled Easter eggs from a couple of posts ago?) and think back on these happy memories as well as those last bittersweet ones.  I am grateful to have had the chance to know her, love her, and to say good-bye to her.  I love and miss you, Memaw!

This is the last time we were all together (minus my cousin Mary and my 2nd cousin Wes).

It was June of 2009, and we were celebrating Memaw's 82nd birthday.