Full of Love and Life: Goodbye Mommo

Monday, July 2, 2012

Goodbye Mommo

Jed's grandmother, Joan, passed away on June 22, 2012. She was a wonderful and very dear person to Jed. After a long, brave fight, she finally succumbed to illness and old age. She was 81 years old.

Jed's parents divorced when he was two years old and was an only child. Since his mother was dealing with several ongoing mental issues throughout her life, it made her unable to care for him a good majority of the time. So Jed's grandparents were the ones that took care of and helped raise Jed throughout his childhood. Ironically, his grandmother had a very similar childhood - her parents divorced when she was three, her mother chose not to keep her, so Joan's grandparents raised her after raising 10 children of their own.

Mommo was the one constant stability and rock throughout Jed's life. She loved Jed as if he were literally one of her own children. So her passing was a very big deal to him.

A viewing was held on the evening prior to the funeral. It was nice to see so many family members and friends of the family. Jed pictured below with his cousin, Sadie.

For several years, Jed's nickname for his grandmother was "Grambo" - a mixture of the character "Rambo" and Grandma put together. :) However, when Aubrey was a toddler, she couldn't say it correctly and would just call her "Mommo" instead. The name stuck and that is what we all began calling her.

These last few weeks have been emotionally draining. I am so grateful that we were able to visit her the day before she passed on and say our goodbyes. Thankfully, the gospel of Jesus Christ provides us great comfort in knowing that death is not the end of her and that one day we will see her again. We know that she is in a much happier place, free of her withered, little body, and no doubt having a wonderful reunion with her family that have already passed on.