A few days after my last post, on December 6, my aunt Colleen phoned my mom to tell her Grandma had passed away. She was in her room and her new care home - and Colleen had visited less than hour before. Mom had just returned from visiting her the day before, and it was only weeks since I was in Vancouver to see her, along with Bob and Mom. I know she finally decided she was ready.
And while I feel so good about the peace she now has after such a long time with so little ability to live to the level she had all her life, it is hard to imagine the world without Amanda Gunn.
I had always heard stories about her earlier life, as a sister to several siblings in a large French family, growing up in Lebret, Saskatchewan. She loved and was loved by all her family and everyone knew her strength, beauty and compassion right from her childhood through to her adult life. Mom, Bob and Colleen's love and admiration for Grandma, along with the pictures of her and Grandpa were all evidence that she was an amazing mother and wife.
For me, she was a friend and a protector. She had come many times to stay with us when I was growing up and I was always happy when she did. Grandma always talked to me like I was grown up, like I was her friend, but loved me and protected me like I was her grandchild. When I was doing treatment for leukemia, grandma came to Calgary and stayed with me when I was out of the hospital. She had an ability to help without hovering! We could talk about anything and did. Her positive attitude and strength was always an inspiration to me.
My grandma was the youngest elderly person I knew - she walked a few miles a day right until her stroke, she drove a Mustang into her 70s, and we celebrated her 75th birthday in Las Vegas, with grandma awake into the late hours. After her 80th birthday party, weeks before her stroke, she was on an Alaskan cruise. I always said her social life was better than mine (and that was when I was in my 20's!). She travelled many places on her own over many years - from MacDonald's for coffee in the morning to Europe to Hawaii to the Maritimes - everywhere she went she met and impacted people who kept in touch with her for years.
She was a classy woman. A fighter. Strong. Compassionate. Loving. Funny. Beautiful.
She helped shape who I am. I loved her so much and will miss her.
4 comments:
Hi Tricia,
Thanks for the tribute to your grandma and friend. I thought of her often, I especially remember running into her once in Saskatoon, we were shopping with Holly, Heather and Sabine the first time Sabine was here from France, I didn't know Amanda was french and I was pleasantly surprised when she started talking to Sabine in French, they hit it off and although I didn't understand what they were saying, I too, enjoyed their conversation. Very gracious lady.
Have a great Christmas
Love
Uncle Ed
Hi Tricia,
Thanks for the wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman. Bob & I always loved our visits with her, and enjoyed her conversations full of humor, wit, and interest. She was a very special lady.....classy and gracious. Thank you.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and soak up lots of sun and serenity while you're in Hawaii. Have fun!
Love,
Bob & Mary Ellen xoxoxoxo
Hello Tricia,
Your grandma was a wonderful woman. We always enjoyed her visits to Fort Qu'appelle. She was very special. Take care.Please say Hi to your parents for us.
Alvin(Beno)+Glenda Paquin
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