A Life Well Lived

Jessie Ada White March 16, 1925 to December 8, 2010

Two weeks ago my grandmother, Jessie White, passed away in Cody Wyoming. She was such a huge influence in my life because the boys and I were raised on the ranch with Grandpa Mort & Grandma Jessie living right next door. A lifetime of memories have overwhelmed me in the past few weeks. It’s such a strange feeling to know that she is gone; I am no longer able to call her up on the phone, catch her up on our life, ask her for one of her famous recipes, or how to get a particular stain out of a favorite outfit. The kids and I will no longer be making trips over the mountain to spend weekends with her, going through pictures, making scrapbooks, eating out at the Chinese Restaurant, and then going for Dairy Queen at 9:00 at night.

I was able to get to Cody & spend two days with her before she died and I'll always be grateful for the gift of her face lighting up when she saw me, and the way that she called me “Honey”. I loved my Grandma & I knew without a doubt that she loved me as well. I was honored to share the eulogy at the funeral and to help in gathering pictures for the slide show presentation that my niece put together. What a hard and wonderful thing it was doing both of these things! At the funeral my dad’s cousin, Steven Draper, did the dedication at the graveside, and what sticks out the most is when he said that Grandma was blessed with a life well lived. I love that, and it’s so true, she really did have a life well lived! Five children, fourteen grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, all of whom she adored! She was married to my Granddad Mort for 44 years and loved being a ranch-wife/mom/Grandma.

I’m hoping to get the power point presentation on a disc from Lauren so that I can share that, but wanted to share the eulogy that I wrote to honor Grandma.

I have had a flood of memories come back to me this week as I’ve said goodbye to Grandma Jessie. As I’ve worked on preparing this eulogy & as I’ve looked through boxes of pictures, the memories that I have of Grandma have overwhelmed me. The hardest thing has been in choosing what I’d like to tell you about my Grandmother because there are so many stories I want to share with you!

Jessie White has been one of the biggest influences in my life. Memories of my childhood when the boys & I were growing up with her and Granddad Mort on the ranch in Robertson are some of my favorite. Grandma took every opportunity to spoil Joel, Coby & I. We knew that there would always be a stash of cookies, candy, gum, ice cream, and pop for us at Grandma’s house. She & Joel had their own system worked out where he would ride his pony right up her front steps, knock on the door & she would hand him a sack full of goodies, close the door & then Joel would jump his pony off and be on his way.

As we all know, Grandma was an incredible cook & she loved nothing more than to cook & bake for her friends and family. Jessie White’s pies were legendary & the annual Bull Sale was her time to shine. There was an ongoing debate regarding whether people came for the good bulls or the good food. I think it was a little of both!

Once Grandma knew what your favorite pie or meal was it was a pretty fair bet that the next time she saw you she would have it ready to serve or send home with you. Grandma not only cooked the things that she knew that you loved, but she also made it her personal mission to come up with new ways of cooking what you didn’t like in order to change your mind! Because of Grandma Jessie’s efforts, I no longer hate meatloaf! Cooking for others was how she showed her love. Looking back I also remember the time & care that she would take with us in her kitchen teaching us how to cook & bake. I’m still trying to live up to her standard of pie baking. Memories of baking cookies and candy with Grandma are vivid to me especially this time of year. She was incredibly patient with me, even when we had to quadruple a batch of chocolate chip cookies because I misunderstood how much butter to add! I never felt like I was an inconvenience or that she didn’t have the time for me.

Grandma was also a fixer of all things broken or cut. Toys, clothing, or kids, she could mend or fix just about anything. I can’t tell you the amount of times that the boys and I went to her with cuts, scrapes, bumps and bruises, three kids on a ranch required lots of band aides and hugs. Grandma Jessie’s cure-all was aloe vera for burns & Campho Phenique for everything else, she put it on everything & there was a time that I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get rid of that smell because she was using it so often!

The time that probably sticks out the most when Grandma was there for one of us when we were hurt was when Coby had his accident. She was the one who found him stuck in the bailer, after running across the hayfield on old & aching knees, and she was the one who climbed up into the tractor to shut it & the bailer off. She never left Coby’s side as they waited for help, but stayed with him & together they hollered for help until Joel came. Afterwards, when we realized how serious the injuries to Coby’s hand was, I know that she would have given her hand to him if she could. After that she would forever be seen as Coby’s hero and guardian angel.

When we moved to the ranch in Banner Grandma & I were roommates for a while after Grandpa died. I remember late night snacking while watching old movies, looking through recipe books & cooking together. We may have seemed like an odd couple, a college aged girl and a widowed elderly woman, but we were there for one another during a very lonely time for the both of us. One of the funniest memories that I have of that time is when there was a supposed escaped convict hiding in Story, Grandma and I had ourselves so worked up about the possibility of this man finding his way to the ranch that we were nervous wrecks when suddenly there was a knock on the door & both of us screamed at the top of our lungs. One of the boys walked in the house and wondered what in the world had us two girls in such a fright!

The boys & I have so many memories to draw from because of the fact that we grew up with our Grandparents right next door. But the love that Grandma had for each and every one of her children, sons & daughters-in-laws, grandchildren & their spouses great-grandchildren & even great-great-grandchildren was tangible & she never tired of talking about each one of us. She had so much pride for all of our accomplishments, whether it be on the basketball courts, the track field, football field, show ring, classroom, or home, you could see the love and joy her family brought her in her eyes.

Grandma Jessie had such a servant’s heart and she served in so many wonderful ways. Whether it be through her cooking or sewing, or caring for family members, Grandma lived to serve. From taking care of us grandkids whenever needed to caring for Granddad in the last years of his life, to helping with her great-grandson, Tanner, when she was in her 80’s; Grandma loved to give of herself. My prayer is that this is something that I will have received as a heritage from my grandmother, her gifts of love and service.

There will be a huge gap in our lives with the passing of Grandma, she was such a blessing to each and every one of us. We will miss her more than words can say, but I have gained so much comfort in this past week in the realization that Grandma Jessie has left such an amazing heritage in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren & great-great-grandchildren. She was such a gift to each of us, and we in turn were a gift to her. That’s why I don’t mourn as one with no hope because I know that Jesus welcomed her home with arms wide open and said to her “Well done Thy good and faithful servant”.

I love you Grandma Jessie, and know that someday I'll be reunited with you in heaven. Until then I plan on experiencing "A Life Well Lived" just like you!