Grandmother Mackey
“My Hero”

I so much wanted to be at Grandmother‘s funeral to honor her today. I am in Bogota, Columbia in South America, instead, serving the people of this country. I learned serving others from Grandmother so I guess there is really no better way to honor her in her death than to let her live through me.
See, when Grandmother was old enough to retire and sit back and let others do for her she was still delivering meals-on-wheels and nursing those who were sick … she was still serving. When she could have just gone home and accepted disability, she went back to school and became a licensed practical nurse and served others.
Grandmother never stopped learning … she was a life-long student. And , she was one of the wisest women I’ve ever known.
Grandmother was an adventurer at heart! Some of my greatest memories are trips with her or just being at her house. It was always an adventure! She traveled all over the United States and I loved hearing about her trips. The walks she took us on thru the cemetery and the stories of the horse’s head and the like …. I loved all her stories of growing up … such as the hand coming thru the window to get her. My adventuresome spirit came from her … thus I am in South America today training Christian leaders and , just maybe, I will transfer some of her spirit to them.
One of my greatest gifts is the rocking chair she gave me. See, when I was a small baby, I developed whooping cough. Papa and Grandmother Mackey didn’t have a rocking chair so she bought one to rock me in. She told my mother that if I lived that the rocking chair would be mine. When I look at that rocker I remember my Grandmother and her giving and loving spirit that gave me life.
I will miss her so but I am determined that she will live on thru me and that I will pass her spirit on to my children and my grandchildren so that she keeps living!
The spirit of Grandmother Mackey should never die. She was an awesome woman and she leaves a great legacy and a challenging example to each of us.
Grandmother … I love you and I’m so glad you are in Heaven now and you can be the “adventuresome you”again. Thank you for the love, the adventure, and the example you left behind. You definitely did not live in vain. I can truly say “you really lived” and I’m so proud to have your blood running thru my veins.
Have fun in your new adventure and one day I’ll see you again!
Cheri Fricks Garrett