Theresa Grosek 1/13/1910 - 3/23/2011

Well, we knew this day would eventually come. I just wrote back in February’s posts about how we thought she was going to die and that she probably caught a “second-wind” as it’s termed. Well, her second wind lasted longer than I expected so when I received the call on Wednesday morning, (the 23rd,) that she had passed on, I was shocked.


The good news was that my brother Jared and his family had been with her the night before and she was happy and talkative and glad to see the great-grandkids. Then from what we’re told, she was talking all night to the nursing staff and in the morning they gave her a bath, and then went to get her breakfast. When they returned, she had passed on. I was happy to hear that she went happily and peacefully.

I know that she is so very happy to be with her mom, dad, brothers and sisters who had all passed on before her. She would frequently talk about how she misses them and that she was looking forward to seeing them again.

The bad news was that I happened to be home with Makenna that day…due to snow (yes more snow!) and she saw me break down and cry. She was a little bit shocked and unsure what to do and she came up to me and was trying to give me hugs. I explained to her that great-grandma had died and tried to explain the best I could what that meant.

We were able to go see her body in the nursing home so I went and picked up Chris who watched Makenna in another area of the nursing home while I said goodbye to grandma. When we picked him up, Makenna immediately told him that great grandma had died. He said, “yes she did….do you know what that means?” She replied, “She’s with Heavenly Father.”

When we got to the nursing home, my brothers Jared and Josh were there along with my grandmother’s two sons. After talking about plans of what to do and gathering some of her belongings, I took Chris back to work and Makenna and I went home.

Makenna would ask me throughout the day if I was still sad. I told her that I was sad but that I was okay and that it was okay to miss grandma. She then started saying things like, “you’re dying (meaning grandma,) and we’ll miss you, and we want you to come back. “ She also said, “Mommy misses great grandma,” and there was talk about Jesus in there. She kept telling me over and over how she’ll come back. When she went to bed at night, she said how she missed great grandma.

I took her to school the next day and I had Chris’s parents pick her up for me as I had things to do. When I came to get her they told me that she wasn’t happy and that she had a hard day at school. They handed me a note from school which said, “Makenna did not eat anything (turkey, plain pasta – which she usually eats, applesauce). Several children asked her to play and she said she wanted to be alone…Great Grandma died.”

I felt horrible. This just re-affirmed that I had to take her to school the next day, Friday, which was the day of the funeral. I partially wanted her to come to say goodbye, but I also wanted her to keep her routine and get back to normal as much as possible.

The services were very nice as her nephew, Jack Bendick , performed the service and some of my friends from church and otherwise, came to pay their respects. Even my brother Jake came in from Washington to say goodbye. I wished we could’ve had it on a Saturday as more people could’ve come but at the same time it was good as I knew Makenna was at school being taken care of.

At a lunch after the services, Jake, Jared, and myself were talking about our memories of grandma and it all boiled down to her selflessness towards us grandkids. Even when it was not necessary or could’ve gotten her into trouble with her husband, she still gave to us kids constantly. Whether it be money, food that we liked, games, clothes, helping us win in card games…and so much more…she gave it to us.

We knew that we were loved by such a wonderful woman who had endured so much in this life, both physically and emotionally. I’m so happy that I know she is happy with her family and free from a body racked with debilitating arthritis. That she will no longer be sad when we have to leave her to go to our homes as she can now constantly see us.

This is a video that was made back for her 100th birthday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na68Zs0cZJQ

We love and miss you grandma….but we know we’ll see you again.