My grandmother turns 100 today - September 11.
Elsie Beech Travis Fitzgerald lives in
She is not an old lady though.
Grandma still lives alone, still has a car (though she rarely drives now), and is very active.
I think she has stopped teaching swimming but still takes water aerobics. She teaches in the English as a Second language school. She used to play piano for the Childrens choir but they do music she has a hard time learning now. She teaches third grade Sunday School and is at church pretty much every time the doors are open.
In fact, a few years ago she cracked an important body part while teaching Sunday School. “I was turning around to lay a picture on a table and I just fell”.
At the hospital the doctor said – “well since you are 89 there is not much we can do.”
My aunt quickly let him know – “She is 99 and teaches
swimming to stroke victims so you’d better get her fixed fast.”
After a few weeks of rehab she checked herself out of the facility because “they weren’t working me hard enough.”
God has blessed her life (and through her, my parents, and family blessed me as well).
She has five surviving children (one died as a baby), all educated, prosperous and happily married. My dad is the oldest and I am the oldest of her 13 grandchildren.
All of those in my generation are educated, prosperous and have good lives.
Her great grandchildren number around 23-25. I can’t keep track of all my cousin’s children. Grandma’s has 3 great grandchildren in college and several infants and all in between.
We are all fairly close to
She has outlived many of her friends of her own generation including two husbands. A few years ago some of her last travel companions died.
Like many of her generation she enjoys watching “the Wheel”
and “Jeopardy” on tv.
She enjoys the company of good friends, eating out, seeing her great grandkids, reading.
A few years back Jerry Falwell called me out on his TV program (he had his facts a little off) and while my friends were worried, grandma said “Jerry called your name on TV.” So she was proud that one of her favorite preachers knew who her grandson was.
So here’s to Grandma Fitz at 100. May God continue to bless her and her family.
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