Kathleen W. Smith

Or Kay to some, or Kat to her family. To me, she was Grandma. She went home to meet her Heavenly Father this morning, 5/3/07. She was 84 years old. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and wife to my Papa. She worked until she was about 72, I think, as a nurse. She was very active and was loved and respected by many of her younger colleagues. I used to go to her house after school...she loved to play games. She taught me how to play domino's and "Farkel", a dice game we always played at family gatherings. We did paint by numbers together, and she did her best to help me with my math homework. Even though she reminded me she got a "D" in math growing up. We went on walks through the neighborhood. She made beans and cornbread. She always had cornbread muffins. She crumbled hers up in a glass of milk and ate it, or drank it like that. I always thought that was gross. We always made homemade ice cream for mine and my Papa's birthdays...and oven steak and fried okra. She let me use her nursing cap for Halloween....more than once. When I was 15 I decided NOT to go on vacation with her and Papa...because i was too cool to be seen alone with my grandparents. I regretted it the second I said it...but didn't go anyways. So, when I was 20 and she asked me again to go to Texas with her, I didn't hesitate, and I said yes. It was me, grandma, her sister Betsy and her Brother Buddy and his wife. Just me and 4 old people! And I had the best time! I'll never forget how we got "lost" in Mexico and all 5 of us crammed into one taxi to get back to the border! The last few years she had been suffering from dementia...or severe short term memory loss. She'd ask you the same question 10 times in a 1/2 hour. But other than that, her body was basically healthy. I saw her just this last Saturday when I went to my moms for a visit. She seemed happy and in a good mood. She remembered my kids names. And held Megan the entire time we were there. She stood at her window and waived to us as we drove out. I had no idea what was to come this morning. It's amazing how we can take every day the Lord gives us for granted. But we do, because what else are we to do? No one can tell what will come next. And you can't spend you're whole life worrying about it. I've been blessed to have shared almost 30 years with this wonderful woman, and I will miss her more than I can imagine. But, I am comforted in knowing she is with Jesus, and Papa and her sister and brother....and she'll be waiting for me when I get there.

I love you Grandma!