Friday, February 17, 2017
My sincerest condolences to Graces family. I have had the opportunity to have met and spent time with many of you. Each one of you were special to Grace, each with your own uniqueness. I was privileged to be in the group of Graces extended family. To this I am forever thankful:). I have learned and grown so much by knowing Grace.
I am grateful to have shared time and more so, joy, with Grace in her later years. As you very well know she made a huge impact in our Special Care Home; the people who lived and worked and visited with her, the volunteers both young and more experienced.
She was an amazing spokesperson at events in the home and was quick to quietly or publically show appreciation. Grace challenged others to do better, to be better in many ways. She called a spade a spade.
Grace took part with eagerness in a variety of recreation and leisure opportunities in our Special Care Home and community and she encouraged others to do the same. As a matter of fact at times she voiced she was to busy to keep up with one of her favorite past times which we all know is writing letters and cards to friends and family. There were many occasions when she would ask to have her sticker adorned envelopes dropped in the mail. She took great pleasure in sending and receiving mail and she did receive more incoming mail then anyone I know. I am sure that over the years she could have subsidized her own mail truck!
On any given month Grace eagerly participated in planned and spontaneous opportunities. An example is mind and body (exercises for the body and the mind). She had her spot in the room and seldom missed. If she did happen to miss out one day she would always say she did her exercise in her room. But to be honest with you it is a bigger benefit to be part of the social atmosphere then just coming for the exercise. Grace's competitiveness shinned when playing trivia and other brain games.
Thinking about her recreation routine she was involved in 2 to 4 scheduled opportunities daily plus any spontaneous things as well. She was usually the first person to sign up for excursions. Her last trip was mid January to watch a hockey game and eat rink food during hockey week in Shellbrook. She could not stop talking about how good the French fries were. It didn't matter what Grace participated in she loved it all, well all except bingo! It was on a rare occasion that she opted out of partaking. The one time she refused happened to be her single most favorite endeavour. I still smile when I think of the day at the old Terrace when I invited her to join in on the art class. Her response was, "I am not going to art, I can't draw a straight line!" I told her suit your self but I think you will be sorry you missed out. She went on to say, I can't draw a straight line." Once she heard me say we don't draw straight lines she agreed to try it one time and if she did not like it after that she didn't have to come back. Well she didn't miss a class after that. In fact art became so important to her that she was knocking at the door half hour early with her own paint shirt, beads and lipstick on. If we hadn't had a class in a week or two she would ask when is there going to be an art class? As you can see in her many pieces she certainly loved the opportunity to create. I recall her stating that it just does something to you inside, it makes me come alive!
Well my Grace you brought much life and excitement to all of us and I know you lived a full and abundant life, a life worth living. Thank you for Gracing us with you, Grace. You will be forever a part of our heart and our home.
All my love to you and your family Grace.
Trina Chamberlain, a friend and Recreation Coordinator
ps/
After art class this week the elders in our art group celebrated her with a china tea party. We giggled about past times and recalled a few stories. Graces art apron was on display and will now be retired.
