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Grandmother passed last night

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drooartz

drooartz

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Got the call from my mom this morning that my grandmother, Pearl Swinden, passed away last night at the age of 94. She had a good, if sometimes tough, run. Born in December 1918 she was a lifelong Red Sox fan and thought she'd not live to see them win a world series -- the Sox's win in 2004, their first since before she was born, almost finished her off.

A successful business woman herself, she taught me bookkeeping before my first job after college. We didn't have much in common, but we did share a love of cars. Her second husband and long-time family friend owned a MG TD -- it was this car, always at the back of my awareness, that brought me into the LBC world. She loved to hear my updates as I've gone through a succession of old British cars and restorations.

She had been in bad health, and declining, for quite a few years now and was more than ready to go. A fall last weekend seemed to move things along, and after a couple days in Hospice care (wonderful folks) she went peacefully in her sleep. Many happy miles, Gram.

Gram with Marshall's MG, the car that started it all for me, in 1972 (the year I was born, incidentally):
marshall-mg1.jpg


Made it home last Christmas, she gave me a little gift to help with Penny Bugeye's restoration. Had to keep the note:
gram_note.jpg
 
Requiescat en pace. And light perpetual.

Condolences to you and yours, Drew.
 
Drew,

Sorry to hear that.Sounds like you'll have some great memories.

- Doug
 
94, what a great life. Condolences to you.
 
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Brother I hear you loud and clear, mine will be along shortly. My deepest sympathies.
 
Sympathies to you and your's. At age 94, she had a good run.......but we all know, it's never quite enough.

My Dad is 88. My father-in-law is 90 and mother-in-law is also 88. I see these three people all the time, so I have a good understanding of what "the twilight of one's life" looks like (my Mom passed a few years ago).

It's tough to see these people who are so important in our life fading away (although my Dad, ever the jokester, always says "It beats the alternative!").

Wonderful that you shared an interest with your grandmother. One of my grandmothers died before I was born and the other when I was an infant. But I have a great-Aunt Lil who raised my Mom and was my unoffical "grandmother". I lived in her house, in Irleand, until the age of 6. She brought a love of music to all of us through her piano and accordian playing. She passed a few years ago at age 93.

Here's my Aunt Lil playing her accordian in the Ormond Follies Band taken at Bennetts Bridge, Ireland in the late 1930s.

22737_292252656156_4601766_n.jpg
 
Sorry to hear about your loss. She sounds like one heck of a good grandma. May the memories always bring you happiness.
 
Sympathies, Drew.
 
Condolences. Sounds like she enjoyed life and passed her passion on. My grandfather used to go down to the lake with his inner tube till he was 94. Aging seems to bring on more caution with physical activity and more freedom with an unfiltered voice. May all of us find the right balance. Best wishes, Pearl.
 
Condolences, Drew.
 
Thank you for sharing your family with us Drew. Condolences to you and yours. Paul
 
Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated. This is definitely one of those sad/relieved times, because it was time.
 
Sorry to hear that Drew; sounds like she had a good run though.
 
Will keep you and yours in my thoughts and prayers. So sorry for your loss. 94 or 44, it's never easy to loose someone that close.
 
May she rest in peace and may you keep the memories alive. Still miss my granny and have some great memories that will never fade.
 
Condolences.
 
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