Grandma Ruth Would Have Been Proud

by John C. Westervelt

Grandma Ruth was a leader and organizer. Her grandchildren gathered around her year after year for fun times with her and with each other. After a twenty-five year hiatus, her granddaughters (Kathy, Linda, and Mary Kim), granddaughters-in-law (Kristin and Sandy), and her daughter (Harriette, my sister) convened at Mary Kim’s in Plano, Texas. The spirit of Grandma Ruth was rekindled in a day for talking.

Paul, Sandy, and Kristen left early on Saturday from Tulsa for Harriette’s in Oklahoma City. Brett was left in charge of the house, the dog, and the cat. Amy went to Norman on Friday night with the family of a soccer friend. By nine o’clock Harriette, Kathy, Kristin, and Sandy were on the way to Plano, and Paul to Norman for the soccer tournament. Linda would come from nearby Corinth to join Mary Kim to greet the Oklahomans around noon. The thoughts that follow are the observations of Harriette as she listened to the younger women talk.

The entertainment committee decided on a shopping tour of Valley View Mall and the Galleria in Dallas. The women said they needed to shop to be ready for Christmas. If the month had been May, everything would have been the same except the reason.

From a practical, man’s point of view, some of the six would have stayed in a motel. With no man around with good advice, they chose to all stay at Mary Kim’s. Harriette called it a slumber party. Four fit in two double beds. Kristin made her bed on the couch. Sandy slept on the floor.

When I asked Harriette about what occurred, she told me this much of the story. They talked then went to a fun place for lunch and talked. They shopped and talked their way through the first mall and then the second. The sun had set long before exiting the Galleria. What ever happen to women’s tired feet? Next was a Mexican restaurant for a fun dinner and talking.

Back at Mary Kim’s place they talked while playing games. These women are all take charge people so I should not have been surprised that they asked Mary Kim to have her friend Robert come over. This was the setting for more talk. Robert, an electrical engineer, took a career break to graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary. Kathy’s pastor and Sandy’s former pastor are graduates of this school.

Harriette and I agree on ten o’clock as bedtime. Harriette broke her own rule, but at midnight she announced she was going to bed because the departure on Sunday would be at nine to make connection with Paul and Amy coming from a ten o’clock soccer game. The gathering of these, plus John Phillips (Kathy’s husband), was on time at 12:30 at a delicatessen in Edmond.

The story title is a Saturday night remark of one of the granddaughters. If Grandma Ruth were alive and well she would have loved this party as much as anyone. If angels get to peek, then she had a fun day too.

Grandma Ruth, my mother, died in 1972. Her love and Christian spirit live on in these women.

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