Granny

It's funny how the simplest of memories can be the one you cherish the most. But as I sit here and think about Granny a few things are really highlighted in my mind.

First, are all the days that David, Kimberly and I spent at Papa and Granny's house during the summer and when we would walk down the store. Granny would give us each a quarter. Sure that may not seem like much but when you are buying penny and nickel candy, a stomach ache and great memories were not hard to find.

Next, is the day when we asked Granny (Kim, David and I) if it was alright that we still called her Granny. If I remember correctly we were about Junior High age or so. I remember she didn't say much but she never did. I just remember her saying she didn't care what we called her. At the time I didn't think much of it, looking back I'm glad it turned out how it did because I had never known her by any other name and I never will. She will always be Granny to me.

Last, but not all, is the time I stopped by Papa and Granny's house about 2 weeks before she was first diagnosed with cancer. I remember it was a typical visit but I was by myself and it was really nice to just sit and talk to her by myself as she was there alone. Even though there was nothing out of the ordinary or anything that really sticks out in my mind about our conversation, its times like that, that I'll miss the most. Luckily that is how I get to remember her, sitting around the kitchen table.

Matt

Email from Vonna Heyer

I don't have anything to add but her love for learning about God's purpose for the earth and man. She and your Dad first studied when they moved to Asotin and lived with us a short time until they found a place of their own. She studied again in Wallace. One time when I stayed with her, the circuit overseer (traveling overseer) fell asleep during the study, we all giggled and went on with the study. He eventually woke up, very embarrassed of course.
Next was Arkansas. She and I continued studying by mail. After that she continued studying on her own. But she still had different ones visiting her and conversing with her about the Bible and reading Bible literature, until she got so ill she couldn't concentrate. Her hope was to live on earth under God's Kingdom rule in the hands of his Son Jesus Christ forever in perfect health. She was faithful to that hope as she understood it even as far as death in the case of not accepting blood if faced with it when she was in the hospital, when she had the heart attack.
I think of Shirley as having inner strenght as my mother did and her personality was alot like Mom's. She didn't let the little things bother her, but look out if it really bothered her. I remember when I came up to Wallace to help when she was about to give birth to you (Pam). She had just washed the windows on the house and your Dad and I got in a water fight. Water was everywhere including on her clean windows. She made us redo them. It wasn't good enough, so she did it over herself. Most of all, she was a loving, faithful, and loyal person to her family and friends, and she was special to all of us who knew her so well.
This is what I want to remember about Shirley. I'm sure more will come to mind as time goes on, because she was much more than these few thought. She helped raise some very nice children and set a good model to follow in how to conduct yourself in dealing with others with love.

Mom's written words from David's interview

(David's): Great Grandfather Monson (Orlando) rode a freight train from North Dakota to Spokane and finally ended up at Dawson City (between Weippe & Pierce). He worked as a logger until 1945, then we moved to Winchester. In 1951 he went to work for Potlatch in Lewiston until he retired. I was 3 yrs. old when we came to Idaho on a train. I don't remember it. I went to school at Weippe the first and third grades. (She skipped a grade) The fourth grade I went to school at a small school between Weippe and Orofino called Cottonwood School. The summer before fifth grade, we moved to Musselshell. At that time there was a sawmill there. They didn't have a school, so a lady named Mrs. Wilson taught school in her home. Our desks were made from orange crates. She had one son and the rest of the students were my brother, 2 sisters and me. During the time we lived there, part of the road to Musselshell was made of planks. It wasn't very easy to drive on.
Thirty years later:
In 1981 I had a grandson named David Ryan Deyo, who I am so proud of.
Added notes in Pam's writing:
March 23, 1934
Born in a farm house, Montrial County, near Ross Township, North Dakota
Her Parents: Orlando Isador Monson-born @ ADa Minn-1906
Margaret Mary Moore-born @ White Earth North Dakata-1904
1930's depression: Orlando Isador came to Weipped in search of a job
Put up boards and cover with tar paper outside-no insolation
Rations
Had to wear boys shoes, made own clothes
Used beer bottles and egg carton for spending money
Didn't have ice box for refrigeration, didn't have ice, drank milk warm
Didn't have indoor toilet until 1951 at Asoton
Remember the German prison soldiers held somewhere between Weippe and Mussleshell
End of WWII, 1st lie got caught in. Told Grandma Moore, her Mom and Dad wanted his radio, so she could hear news of End of War
Heated iron on stove
Put curling iron into kerosene lantern (curl hair)
Majority people poor so didn't seem to matter. Didn't know any different. Didn't consider hardship
Canned meat or salt down, a hole in ground in a box, put raw pork and layer
Grandpa couldn't speak English until he started school
Raised cattle in North Dakota
Married-1953

Email from Joe Deyo

I remember your Mom well as I hung out with John at your house while we were growing up in Peck. She always seemed so calm and steady-even when we were shooting our bows in the yard and sticking arrows in things we weren't supposed to. She was a grand lady. Our condolences to you and your family. Joe D.

Mom

One of my fondest memories of Mom was one Christmas. Mom had two small eight inch plastic dolls. (As you could have probably guessed, I absolutely did not like playing with dolls. It was absolute torture to do so.) Mom started crocheting clothes for these dolls with the smallest of thread. Day after day I watched in awe. I asked her who she was making them for. She replied, it's a secret, they're for Karen and don't tell her. One doll was Goldilocks, completely decked out with her red cape, white dress and bloomers. The other was a bride, (well all this time I thought it was a bride until tonight), including her head piece and the poofy under hoop skirt . You can imagine my surprise on Christmas when I was the one receiving the two "beautiful" dolls, knowingly made with Love.
Also, even though I hated home made clothes too, I loved a particular pretty blue velvet vest and matching skirt she had sewn for me. Making it more special, she had also made the matching outfit for a doll to give away as a Brownies gift.
I remember in first grade, Mom made me wear these ugly black and white sadle shoes. I drug the toes of them on the ground all the way home from school. Needless to say, I was in a little bit of trouble.
Looking back, I treasure the fact that Mom was always home when we got home from school. Soon she would be cooking dinner. We would be hungry and she would slice us off a piece of raw potatoe, cheese, even a piece of turnip.
Mom always thought she was in charge, except for the fact that she could never catch me if I was in trouble....."You wait untill your Dad gets home".....I swore I would never use that one on my children ...????
Mom was an intelligent, strong and stubborn "Norweigan". I will dearly miss her quiet and private deameanor, but most of all I will truely miss her LOVE and her PRESENCE.