The eulogy I gave at Nan’s Funeral:
I would like to start off by saying that on behalf of our family, thank you very much for being here. We appreciate your presence and your support. Remembering my Nan isn’t very hard. My grandparents had a pretty significant role in our lives, and because of our parents’ work schedules they looked after us quite often as children. Some of my most fond memories involve the kitchen and baking. I remember being allowed to explore and snoop around in the kitchen with much more freedom than allowed at home. Or maybe the familiarity of our own family kitchen wasn’t as exciting, however, either way – I remember Nan letting me explore and poke around all the drawers and cupboards of her kitchen the way children would like. I was allowed to pull things out, and because most of her containers are coloured, I would have to open things to see what they were, and was allowed to taste and sample the baking supplies like chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut flakes. Nan’s baking was delicious. While my mom’s banana chocolate-chip muffins were really good, and to be honest, I’d probably appreciate them more now than before, Nan’s were significantly less dense. Nan’s were fluffy and had about triple the chocolate chips. Another memory surrounding food is how I recall Nan making me eat so much food at breakfast – far more than I would eat at home. I remember that she would lay out toast with butter and jam, cereal, a full glass of juice, and a full glass of milk. It always seemed like too much food, but I think grandparents take delight in stuffing and feeding their grandkids.
Nan not only tolerated the way we could raid the kitchen, but she and Gramps also tolerated things that our parents wouldn’t really go for – like the Super Ex. Regarded as too noisy, too dirty, and too crowded by mom and dad – it was Nan and Gramps who would scout out the “ride all day bracelet days” and would take us on the bus to get there. The whole thing would be an adventure from my perspective, but must have required heaps of energy and patience on their part.
I remember summer days spent with Nan and Gramps at Lac Phillipe in Gatineau Park. Nan would make picnic sandwiches, which were far more delicious that “in the city sandwiches”. She would cut off the crusts - something worth celebrating when you are about 6-10 years old.
Brett and I were lucky to have grandparents like Nan and Gramps. As their only grandchildren – we weren’t spoiled rotten, but we were spoiled. Not only did they shop for us and go overboard on birthdays, Christmases, and with souvenirs when they returned from trips – they also paid attention to and cared about the things going on in our lives. Report cards, skating competitions, school concerts – you name it – they knew about it, and were there.
Nan taught me the Lord’s Prayer, and so whenever I hear that I think of her. I also think of her whenever I buy cottage cheese. She used to eat cottage cheese in her salad with mandarins (seemed strange then, and it still seems a bit strange now). When I get into a bed at a hotel or at someone else’s house and the sheets are tucked in really tight, even on the sides, I’m reminded of my sleep-overs at Nan and Gramps' house from when I was younger. Not wanting to be held responsible should I catch a pneumonia, I think she had 6 layers of blankets piled on top of me, and that is overtop the 2 layers of sheets – I remember it being heavy, but also comforting. I think of that when I’m sleeping somewhere else and there are lots of blankets.
I’ll miss Nan dearly, but I am very grateful for the very large role that she had in my life.
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