Family That I Grew Up With

Family has always been one of my greatest blessings. My whole life has been made up of people surrounding me that I love. I will try to concentrate on one side and then the other.

Malone’s

Marjory Blanche Swan Malone was my paternal grandmother. Man did I love her. She was so sweet and kind, loving and soft! ( She was fluffy and I loved to lay on her and have her rock me.) She was a scrub nurse at the hospital and no matter where she went, she would call in and leave a number where they could reach her. I think it gave her life purpose. She loved to have people over for dinner and when she did, she would set the table so prettily. That is where I got my love of dishes. She never had anything material really, but she loved pretty dishes. She made fried rabbit that would melt in your mouth.

Mike, Diane, Kelly and I would always go over to Grandmothers’. She would give us anything to make forts in her backyard and always help us.

We would stay all night and when I did, I slept with her. She would leave her false teeth under my pillow, every time, and ask me in the morning, where her teeth were! At night we would eat fried egg sandwiches, (how did I do that?) and watch Peter Gun on TV. I can still hear that music in my head.

She loved Easter, and we always had an

egg hunt at her house, among her flowers. She especially loved Iris’ and I can see her bending over, hands behind her back, smelling her flowers.

Grandmother loved to play canasta. She taught us kids from a young age how to play and I still do to this day. She taught Diane and I how to play Jacks and we used to do that for hours in Oklahoma. Grandmother loved to swim. We used to go to the lakes around Porum all the time. I grew up camping, water skiing, and swimming. Grandma wasn’t skinny (it didn’t matter to her, plus I thought she was beautiful) and would put on a suit with the best of us. I got some of my worst sunburns in Oklahoma at her house! :(

Grandmother was a strong member of the Bouciant ?, the women’s arm of the Masonic Lodge. My Dad and Uncle Bud, and my Grandfather Malone, all obtained the highest rank in the Masons. This is her, very proud of her two sons.

One year, she was the chairperson for the cancer drive in Liberal. I used to go downtown and sit in her office with her. She was a good member of the Methodist Church and I went with her there on occasion.

My grandmother was one of the sweetest people. I never heard her talk badly about anyone, she never swore, drank, smoked, or was uncouth in any way. She had a very, very hard life. Her mother died when she was 4. She was basically raised by an older sister who was nothing like her. She married and was pregnant ten times. Three miscarriages, one stillbirth, two children died from Hemophylia, and another one from Meningitis, and three children who lived to adulthood, my father being one of them. Diane’s dad, Uncle Bud, and my Aunt Martha.

Aunt Martha with Mike……

She lived with Arthritis that was very painful. I used to want to just hug her and hug her, and sometimes she would just wince, not complaining.

She would write to me in college and I always loved her letters. She passed away in her early 70’s, watching her favorite show, General Hospital. :) I could go on and on, but will save it for another post. I hope that I am like her in just a few ways. I love you Grandmother.