Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Thankful for Grandma
The following is presented with the permission of Alicia Peed Stone, Frances' first grandchild. These words were read at Frances' funeral. Needless to say there was not a dry eye.
Thank you Alicia for having the strength, courage and composure to honor your grandma in such a way.
May 13, 2008
Grandma, as most of us, had many different sides.
There was her young lady side. Fortunately she kept a diary for a brief period of time and I was able to learn a little about her life before she was married. She had such confidence and independence that I truly admire. She wrote of a special man she met and of a little argument they had. She didn’t pine away for him, she just went on with her social calendar. He eventually came around and later became my Grandfather. She wrote about each movie she saw at her parent’s movie theater and gave her ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ review. She talked about dances she would have at her house and sneaking in friends. She talked a lot about going to church which made me realize her deeply religious beliefs go all the way back to her childhood.
After her great grandchildren were born I did every so often get a glimpse of the motherly side. She would surprise me and blurt out her opinions like ‘he probably has an ear infection’ or ‘you need to hold him like this’ or ‘you need to just let him cry’ They always took me off guard a bit and honestly were at times hard to take. As I aged and humbled a bit I grew to appreciate those comments.
The side that I know the best though, is the grandmother side. The one that throws all rules out the door; that loves unconditionally without criticism; the one that wants to make sure you have enough to eat even after you just finished dinner; and the one that always asks “so when are you coming to visit” before you even leave.
Today I am selfishly sad but at the same time very thankful to have had her as mine. In most difficult situations being thankful is what makes me feel better and there are several things that came to mind about my grandma.
I am thankful for my middle name, Frances. I have to confess, for most of my childhood I was embarrassed by it and wished it was Jennifer or Jessica. It wasn’t until later when a third grade friend pointed out to me that people were making fun of my last name that I realized my middle name was the least of my worries. Despite my feelings growing up there was no question I was going to use it for my daughter if I should ever be blessed enough to have one. That day finally came and I am so thankful that she got to hold the great grandchild named after her.
I am thankful we were so alike. From being cold even on 90 degree days to sneezing no less than three times in a row every time.
I am thankful she lived on Ashland Ave. What a great house to visit with the cool staircase and Patti’s freaky 70’s room.
I am thankful she lived near the beach even though she said she didn’t like the sand she didn’t want to be left out of the trips to the shore.
I am especially thankful for her creativity. One winter weekend I happened to be visiting her while in college when Norfolk got one of their very rare snowstorms. I did not bring the proper attire for the weather and my cousin and I wanted to walk to the grocery store. Grandma had the answer to the snow boot dilemma in her oven of all places. (That is a whole other funny memory, storing bread in the oven seemed so unsafe to me) Anyhow she emptied all the bread from the bread bags and insisted that we put one bag on each foot with newspaper rubber bands to secure them at the top. Then she sent us on our way with bagged feet and a pink umbrella. We laughed all the way to the store! So I am thankful for wonder bread bags in the winter.
I am thankful that she was a glass half full kind of lady. She outlived most of her friends but that did not get her down. She just found younger and younger ones to hang out with and loved to boast about the surprised looks she would get when she would confess her true age.
I am thankful that she didn’t complain of body aches and such when we talked like most people over the age of 50.
I am thankful for her cast iron skillet and the great things she cooked in there.
I am thankful that she got the time messed up on church and we walked in right at the front of the church in the middle of mass just in time for communion.
When I decided to quit working and stay home with the kids a piece of that decision making process was that I wanted to make sure that I took the kids to Norfolk to visit as often as we could so that they got to know and love their great-grandmother as I had. I am thankful I was able to do that.
But what I am mostly thankful for is not all the memories that I have with her but that I know she is finally reunited with the main character of my favorite love story. I did not get a chance to know her true love but there was never a time that we were together that she did not remind me that I was the only grandchild he got to hold and how much that meant to him. She would always follow that up with how much she missed him how long he had been gone and that some significant date, whether a birthday or anniversary was right around the corner. I can’t help but smile a little today because I can hear her laughing right now as she dances through Heaven with Granddad.
She may not have intended for there to be a lesson in the way she lived her life, but I took one away anyhow. We should try our best to live each day to its fullest surrounding ourselves with the people we love the most so that whatever happens there will be few regrets. Our lives here on earth are short so enjoy as Frances did and be thankful everyday for everything we are blessed with.
What a neat lady she was and I am so so thankful that she was my grandmother.
Thank you Alicia for having the strength, courage and composure to honor your grandma in such a way.
May 13, 2008
Grandma, as most of us, had many different sides.
There was her young lady side. Fortunately she kept a diary for a brief period of time and I was able to learn a little about her life before she was married. She had such confidence and independence that I truly admire. She wrote of a special man she met and of a little argument they had. She didn’t pine away for him, she just went on with her social calendar. He eventually came around and later became my Grandfather. She wrote about each movie she saw at her parent’s movie theater and gave her ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ review. She talked about dances she would have at her house and sneaking in friends. She talked a lot about going to church which made me realize her deeply religious beliefs go all the way back to her childhood.
After her great grandchildren were born I did every so often get a glimpse of the motherly side. She would surprise me and blurt out her opinions like ‘he probably has an ear infection’ or ‘you need to hold him like this’ or ‘you need to just let him cry’ They always took me off guard a bit and honestly were at times hard to take. As I aged and humbled a bit I grew to appreciate those comments.
The side that I know the best though, is the grandmother side. The one that throws all rules out the door; that loves unconditionally without criticism; the one that wants to make sure you have enough to eat even after you just finished dinner; and the one that always asks “so when are you coming to visit” before you even leave.
Today I am selfishly sad but at the same time very thankful to have had her as mine. In most difficult situations being thankful is what makes me feel better and there are several things that came to mind about my grandma.
I am thankful for my middle name, Frances. I have to confess, for most of my childhood I was embarrassed by it and wished it was Jennifer or Jessica. It wasn’t until later when a third grade friend pointed out to me that people were making fun of my last name that I realized my middle name was the least of my worries. Despite my feelings growing up there was no question I was going to use it for my daughter if I should ever be blessed enough to have one. That day finally came and I am so thankful that she got to hold the great grandchild named after her.
I am thankful we were so alike. From being cold even on 90 degree days to sneezing no less than three times in a row every time.
I am thankful she lived on Ashland Ave. What a great house to visit with the cool staircase and Patti’s freaky 70’s room.
I am thankful she lived near the beach even though she said she didn’t like the sand she didn’t want to be left out of the trips to the shore.
I am especially thankful for her creativity. One winter weekend I happened to be visiting her while in college when Norfolk got one of their very rare snowstorms. I did not bring the proper attire for the weather and my cousin and I wanted to walk to the grocery store. Grandma had the answer to the snow boot dilemma in her oven of all places. (That is a whole other funny memory, storing bread in the oven seemed so unsafe to me) Anyhow she emptied all the bread from the bread bags and insisted that we put one bag on each foot with newspaper rubber bands to secure them at the top. Then she sent us on our way with bagged feet and a pink umbrella. We laughed all the way to the store! So I am thankful for wonder bread bags in the winter.
I am thankful that she was a glass half full kind of lady. She outlived most of her friends but that did not get her down. She just found younger and younger ones to hang out with and loved to boast about the surprised looks she would get when she would confess her true age.
I am thankful that she didn’t complain of body aches and such when we talked like most people over the age of 50.
I am thankful for her cast iron skillet and the great things she cooked in there.
I am thankful that she got the time messed up on church and we walked in right at the front of the church in the middle of mass just in time for communion.
When I decided to quit working and stay home with the kids a piece of that decision making process was that I wanted to make sure that I took the kids to Norfolk to visit as often as we could so that they got to know and love their great-grandmother as I had. I am thankful I was able to do that.
But what I am mostly thankful for is not all the memories that I have with her but that I know she is finally reunited with the main character of my favorite love story. I did not get a chance to know her true love but there was never a time that we were together that she did not remind me that I was the only grandchild he got to hold and how much that meant to him. She would always follow that up with how much she missed him how long he had been gone and that some significant date, whether a birthday or anniversary was right around the corner. I can’t help but smile a little today because I can hear her laughing right now as she dances through Heaven with Granddad.
She may not have intended for there to be a lesson in the way she lived her life, but I took one away anyhow. We should try our best to live each day to its fullest surrounding ourselves with the people we love the most so that whatever happens there will be few regrets. Our lives here on earth are short so enjoy as Frances did and be thankful everyday for everything we are blessed with.
What a neat lady she was and I am so so thankful that she was my grandmother.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Frances Peed's Obituary
Frances Genevieve Collamer Peed of Norfolk, Virginia died Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 8:30 AM. She was 93 years old. She was born in Portsmouth, VA August 22, 1914 at 400 Dinwiddie Street. She lived the past 76 years of her life in Norfolk after moving from Portsmouth, VA when she was just out of high school when her father Elvan Lewis Collamer Sr., bought the Park Theater on Lafayette Blvd in 1932. She was a junior USO volunteer during World War II and received the Certificate of Merit from the First Fighter Command Auxiliary Aircraft Warning Service for map plotting of enemy plans during the war. She spent her time on her computer and enjoying her knitting. She was preceded in death by her husband of 24 years, Clement Claudius Peed. She is survived by her three children, Clement Elvan Peed and his wife Cheryl Portie Peed, Mary Frances Peed Sherwood and her husband Paul Sherwood, and Patricia Anne Peed Ashley. She has 9 grandchildren, Alicia Frances Peed Stone and her husband Corbin Clark Stone, Jeffrey Elvan Peed and his wife Erin Mills Peed, Aaron Gregory Sherwood, Jacob Paul Sherwood and his wife Elif Karacay Sherwood, Elizabeth Marie Ashley and her fiancé Matthew Herman, Ashley Marie Peed and her fiancé Jay Charles Malaquias, Michael Henry Ashley, Laura Ella Ashley, and Brian Clement Ashley. She has five great grandchildren, Grayson Clark Stone, Connor Jeffrey Peed, Colby Carsten Stone, Addison Ramsey Arlene Peed, and Ainsley Frances Stone.Funeral services were held at Christ the King Catholic Church, on Tuesday, May 13 in Norfolk, Virginia. She is buried at St Mary’s Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to: Christ the King Catholic Church, 1803 Columbia Ave., Norfolk, VA 23509 or John Knox’s Towers Association, 1210 Colonial Ave., Norfolk, VA 23517.
She was known for her desire to have the latest technology gadgets and always up for another challenge. She was a breast cancer survivor and fought macular degeneration of the eyes. She spent hours on the computer and used an enlargement software to conquer her decreasing eye sight. There was never a stranger she met. She was always ready to go out, try new adventures, and live life.
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