Saturday, February 28, 2009

Remembering Grandma Kinney



Grandma Kinney was born on this date in 1905. She had the "Bryant blue eyes". They were a cornflower blue.

She was named after her mother (who hated her name), Nannie Lee. Her father thought his wife wasn't going to live after giving birth to her & named Grandma after her. My first name for her was Mama Kinney (my Grandpa's first name). Older grandkids called her this & the later ones continued the name. Later on, the older grandkids changed it to Grandma Kinney and it was never changed after that.

Grandma was a worrier. Yes, girls that was the beginning of our trait! I can still see her sitting & wiggling her foot with nervous energy.

She cooked for us every Sunday. Homemade fried chicken (not from the fast food place), potatoes (that no one has been able to match), deviled eggs, homemade yeast rolls, and a whole table full of other foods were always prepared with love. After lunch, she washed her hair and Mama or Nora Lee would roll it for her. She sat with the rollers in her lap & handed each one up to them. I have her tin with her rollers still in it.

My cousins and I would stay with Grandma & Grandpa in the summer. I don't remember her ever getting on to us, but I'm sure we needed it.

Grandma would go with me & Mama to the doctor's office in Olney. There was a snow cone stand across the street from the office & we'd both enjoy a snow cone while waiting for Mama in the car. Don't you know that was a sticky mess?

She always greeted us and told us goodbye with a smile and a kiss. She passed away June 25, 1982 after a battle with ovarian cancer. At her funeral, everyone of us kissed her bye at the church.

Grandma Kinney left big shoes to fill. My hope is that I will be half as good a grandmother as she was.

5 comments:

Son said...

I was only 6 when she died, but I have such vivid memories of her. It makes me happy to know that my kids are both of ages that they will remember their great grandparents. I remember sitting on the couch and she would lift her arm and let us play with her sagging arm. It was so soft...she would just laugh. She had the warmest smile and now I know that Memaw has her smile!

The Texas Woman said...

She was certainly a beautiful woman. My sister is fighting ovarian cancer and has for 12 years. She lives in Denver. Isn't that where you are? Just asking. Never know when I'll get up there and need a cup of coffee with a friend!

The Texas Woman

Son said...

I'm actually in Fort Collins...not too far away and we have a very quaint little town with lots of good coffee shops.

Jackie said...

I don't remember your grandma Kinney. But Mother has some of Grammy's pink foam rollers. And remember the blue hair? Life was sweet back in the day, we just did not know it. All of us cousins need to write some personal memories about Grammy and Granddad to leave on here.

Julie Polk said...

There's not enough time in the day to write the good memories I have of them. Grandparents sure were special..I hope my granddaughters will have the same good memories that I have.