I remember Grandma

I had a special relationship with my maternal Grandma, Virginia Idella Ball Cunnington.

She was born on July 17, 1908, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father, John, was 19 and her mother, Mattie, was 23. She married John Raymond Cunnington on November 9, 1926, in her hometown. They had two children during their marriage, LaRue Veloy & Billie JoAnn. She died on January 1, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the age of 69.

Grandma was round and soft with a warm inviting lap. Her face was animated and rarely without a smile, but her eyes were often filled with tears of both joy and sadness. She rarely raised her voice to anyone; except Grandpa. They were always yelling at each other, but if anyone dared say anything against Grandpa; Grandma would be the first to come to his defense.

She grew up in the 1920’s and enjoyed telling us that she was a real “flapper”. Although, she couldn’t have been for long because she got married at the age of sixteen. Grandpa was 16 years her senior.

She always wore a dress and even though they weren’t low cut, her ample bosom was always partly visible. It was quite a nuisance to her because whenever she ate the crumbs always landed in her cleavage. We often teased her about it, but she would merely say that she was saving them for a rainy day.

Mom used to tease her because when she would come to visit our floors were never cleaner. Grandma would make sure of that even if she had to sweep them ten times a day. She just couldn’t seem to sit still, if she saw something that needed doing. Her favorite pastime when she would visit us was to watch out the front window and report on all the activities of the neighbors. She wasn’t a gossip or a busybody, she just found people infinitely fascinating.

She never wrote a letter, but preferred to call. She felt it was more personal. She always sent birthday cards, but they always late because she never remembered until the day of the event.

Grandma always made me feel that I was a very special person. I was her “Punkin”, the first born grandchild and although she never showed me any outward favoritism; I always felt very loved when I was with her. She allowed me to sit on her lap anytime I wanted and I always wanted to.  In fact, I did until I was nineteen years old and my husband objected. She always had time for me and listened to all my problems, triumphs and sadness. I didn’t always feel loved and cared for by my parents, but Grandma was always there for me when I needed her.

Grandma was around much of the time during my childhood. We visited her every other summer in Salt Lake City and she often came to visit us on the off summers and she came every time Mom had a baby and since she had 8 after me; that was a lot.

My happiest memories were of those summers at Grandma’s. I don’t remember going anywhere special, just sitting around Grandma’s kitchen table talking and playing games, or swinging on the swing in the backyard and sitting in the living room on Grandma’s lap; often with my cousin Johnny Thompson on the other knee (her other favorite, I suspect).

She had such a great capacity for love that I don’t think there was anyone she didn’t like and if there was, we never knew it. I never heard her say a bad word about anyone.

Grandma was rarely sick that we knew of; so you can imagine our surprise when she died in 1978 of stomach cancer at the age of 69. She was only sick for about a month and a half and most of us never even knew it until afterwards. She died as she had lived, with great dignity.

Grandma is gone, but not forgotten and I know she hasn't forgotten me. She has visited me many time in my dreams.

In 1983, after my youngest daughter Jessica was born, I was contemplating if I should go back to work. I had a dream that I went to see about the job and brought Jessica with and left her in the car. When I went in they put me to work and I forgot all about her until someone mentioned something that reminded me and I panicked and ran out to the car and she wasn't there. The car was parked in front of some women's organization and I went in to see if anybody had seen her. I walked into some sort of waiting room and a lady was holding her and I said that she was my baby and took her away. When I looked around the room, off in one corner sat Grandma. I ran over to her with tears streaming down my face and said over and over again, "Can you ever forgive me, please forgive me" and she finally said, "Yes, I can forgive you, but will she". This dream helped me make the decision to stay home with Jessica and not go back to work because it made me feel that I would be deserting her if I did.

In 1990, she made it known to me that it was about time that she and Grandpa were sealed together and that I was the one who needed to be sure that it was taken care of. I proceeded to prepare the way and in August of 1992, I was able to stand in for Grandma at the St. George temple while she was sealed to Grandpa and while Mom was sealed to them. It was the greatest privilege of my life. I am looking forward to the day when I will meet her on the other side of the veil.

Copyright © 2014 by June Saxton

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