Monday, May 4, 2015
Granny is the ultimate grandmother!!! She lived her life dedicated to God, family, and in the service of others. She embodied the Whole Life Movement, not just in caring for the unborn and their mother, but following through to insure the welfare of the child born and the mother's ability to be able to love and raise her child. She taught me in life that love is an action beyond words and sentiment and that forgiveness is essential to maintaining a joyful life. She dedicated her life to Christ, His mother Mary, and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Much of what she taught me, she taught through her actions and how she reflected the teachings of Christ in her daily life. I have many beautiful memories of Granny, from helping her muck in her garden at Cuba Lake and eating her delicious BBQ roast beef, to traveling to Massachusetts and Texas to visit relatives, making sure my family always was able to attend weekly mass, attending Archbishop Walsh while she wrapped up her final years of her professional teaching career (which by the way, in service of the church and others, she never accepted a salary), and of course just going over to visit with her over the years. I find in my life many of her joyful talents and hobbies have been passed on to me. Granny was a rock hound, many a road trip she would pull over to the side of the road, and we would get out and haul in rocks. She used these rocks for her gardens and for art. In turn I have done the same in my own life and with my own son Tristan. I find much peace in the art, gardening, rock hounding, and the selfless way of life she taught me to live. She is an amazing example of the reflection of God's love for all of his creation!!! I remember when attending Walsh, I had skipped the bus and came wandering in to her art room for a ride home. She was more than happy to take me home. On the way home, she had shared with me how she so desired to know where all her children were buried and have a memorial built for them, and for all the unborn children and those whom died at birth and were never recognized. I will never forget the tears that I saw travel down her face that day as she told me of this. Many of us have no idea that Granny not only lost Little Mary but at least five other children at birth. It was very painful and had always weighed on her, for the practice of the time was to take the child away for burial before the mother had a chance to grieve and have any semblance of closure. This desire of her's has always haunted me and I prayed that one day I would be able to help her. Several years ago, I was tending to the family grave plot, when I decieded I needed to find a wider range of flowers to plant. As I wandered about the graveyard, looking at the different types of flowers planted, I stopped by the Friars plot. I spent some time talking to some old friends, Fr. Francis Storm and Fr. Crispen Maguire. While I was praying for their souls, I suddenly felt compelled to walk along the Nunyard and check out the graves on the newer side of the cementary. As I was walking along the Nunyard, I noticed a gravestone partially buried in the ground. All that I could read on it was "Anthon Yahn". Excited I pulled it out of the ground and cleaned it up, it said Anthony Yahn. I was excited for I wondered if this could be my infamous great great grandfather that the family had no idea of where he was buried, I rushed down to the cementary office to inquire. Unfortunately the cementary records were all destroyed in a great fire back in the thirties. Even though I had been at the office before to inquire about Granny's children and none were to be found, I inquired again. The manager said he would check and that several boxes of records had recently surfaced and were being cataloged at the time. After about five minutes he returned, tears in his eyes and choked up, holding six cards. We had found them. He took me around the graveyard and showed me where all the children were buried. I then drove straight to my folk's home and told my mother, Patricia, that we had found her siblings. Baffled at first , I told her I knew where the children were all buried and that she needed to come with me now to go see them. Understanding now whom had been found, Mom jumped in her car and we sped to the cementary. After I had showed her where her siblings were all buried and took pictures of each site, we went to share the good news with Granny. Never have I seen such a sorrowful weight lifted from someone and be replaced by a powerful peace and joy! Though this story is not completed... The memorial still needs to be built. Perhaps all of us, family and friends who have benefitted so much by her and her generosity, would be willing to tie up this final loose end. I pray that together we can do this for her. Not just for her children alone, but for all the unborn whom Granny has always kept close and dear to her heart.
