I don't know why it has taken me so long to blog about Grandma Zina dying. I guess it was more personal than I thought it would be. Any how, I am going to post a whole slew of shots from the funeral in American Fork and the burial in Kanab, mostly for the benefit of my cousin, Nicol, who couldn't be there due to childbirth.
Should I warn you that I have one or two pics of grandma in her coffin? Maybe I will start with one and get that part out of the way. Personally, I think she looked nice and not nearly like she had just spent 97 years roaming the cold and dreary world. She passed very peacefully ... during lunch. Apparently she asked for a bowl of soup, took one bite and just closed her eyes. I think it took several minutes for the staff at the care center to realize she wasn't just napping. That's nice.
She was raised in Kanab Utah as the youngest of eight children. The girls were Naomi, Harriet, Gladys and Zina. Her brothers were named At, Whit, Ez and El. I love those names. This is a picture of her family home (which has been raised and now has a Mexican fast food joint in its stead). The jade bonsai tree is something I have always loved and thankfully inherited.
She was always very glam regardless of her age.
Below is a picture of Zina when she remarried at 76 after grandpa died. Her dress was a pink strappy number with a lace jacket over the top. Her garments showed ever so slightly so she dyed them pink and soaked them in tea to get them to perfectly match the pink of her dress.
This is hand painted wallpaper and the furniture that she upholstered herself during the 50's. Now you know where I got my issue with remodeling.
This is the embroidered panel inside the hearse. I took this picture because I know grandma would have loved it. (I wouldn't be surprised if she ordered this very car just so she could go to her final resting place next to that silk panel.)
Cousin shots ...
Marco says he feels jipped as a pall bearer. They didn't even get to carry the casket except to lift it off of the cart into the hearse. Maybe next time, dear.
PART 2 - KANAB
The next day we headed down to Kanab for the burial. What a treat to connect with my Southern Utah cousins. Here are my parents; sister, Shauna; first-cousin-once-removed-in-law, Norma; aunt, Julie Andrews and an all too chipper me posing at the Robinson family ranch in Johnson Canyon.
This is cousin Von standing next to his creation. Grandma commissioned him to build this casket to her exact specifications -- 12 years ago. She even made the upholstered lining herself out of left over apricot silk I wore to my sister's wedding. She also wrote a list of the program of who she wanted to speak and play music at her funeral including who exactly would give prayers and preform pall-bearer duties. No detail escaped her attention.
Other cousins included a bunch of Oscars and Alices. They were pretty cute and I was glad to be related to these people.
Warning: Another dead grandma picture coming up. I had to throw this one in. Is it just me or does she look like she is peaking a little to see who came to say good bye? You never know with this lady.
Most of all I thought my mom was a TOTAL rock star through the whole thing. She pulled everything together and was beautiful even at her own mother's funeral. I love you, mom!
It was the end of an era. This is all that is left of the old Gun Smoke sets in Johnson Canyon were my grandma grew up. It reminded me of the passage of time and laughter. It must have been quite the generation of ladies and cowboys. I look forward to meeting them all in the next life.
I love you, grandma.
