Family History

My sweet, kind Grandma Grey took her last breath on May 26th this year.  While it's always hard to lose someone you love, I was happy for her that she went to be reunited with her parents, a few siblings, and her wonderful husband who had already passed on.  I wasn't as sad as when Grandpa died, because neither of them is alone now.

The morning she died, before I found out that she had, I was cleaning out my garage and I opened the box that contains some of my birthday and Christmas gifts from her.  My grandma crocheted so many of our presents.  I love looking at them because it reminds me of her kindness.  She always made sure to have whipped honey in her cupboard when I came over because I loved it so much.

The last time I saw her, which was February of this year, I laughed until my cheeks hurt.  I was in her room at the assisted living with Aunt Bonnie, Aunt Mary, Aunt Carolyn, and Glenna.  She got stuck on one subject and I just egged her on.  It was a great last memory.

At the cemetery, we had some time between the graveside service and the luncheon, so Aunt Bonnie took us on a tour, giving us some background on some of our distant ancestors.

Francis Lee and his wife, Jane Vail Johnson, were living in Toole, just having trecked across the plains with the pioneers. Shortly after they arrived, Jane made commented about being glad she would not have to eat out of the wagon any more. That day at a meeting with the Saints, President Brigham Young announced that he wanted some select families to travel south and settle a community. Francis Lee and his family were one of the families named. Jane went home, shut herself in her room, and cried for 30 minutes. She came out and stated they would be going south because a prophet of the Lord asked them to. They settled in what is now known as Panaca, Nevada.

Francis C. Lee's wife, Mary McMurrin, had a sister named Margaret, who was married to one of Francis' brothers. She birthed 11 children who all died. When she gave birth to her 12th child, she died. They baby lived with Mary for the first year of his life and was then sent to Salt Lake City to live with other relatives. The boy grew up, married, and had children. One of those children was Harold B. Lee who later became a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Francis C. Lee's wife, Eathel K. had twins, Eva and Ava, and a son, Joseph, who died the day they were born. They also had a daughter, Mary, who died when she was 12. After Mary died, Eathel took to her bed. One night she had a dream. In the dream Mary was not playing with the other children. Eathel went over to her daughter and asked her why she would not play. Mary told her mother that since she was sad, she herself had to be sad and could not play with the others. Eathel left her bed so that her daughter could be happy.

Hazel was one of Francis C. and Eathel's children.  She is Grandma Grey's mother.

I think her children did a fabulous job picking out her casket.  It just reminded me of Grandma the instant I saw it.  It's a soft mauve with little plaques of blue flowers around it.