A tribute to Sarah Slabaugh
December 13, 1912 – January 29, 2010
I didn’t have a “Grandmother” – I had a GRANDMA.
What’s the difference?
A grandmother is proper. She wears high heels and lipstick.
A grandma gets mud (or duck poo) on her boots. The lipstick she wears comes from the kiss on the cheek that her teenage granddaughter left before she goes out on her first date.
A grandmother’s dresses are pressed and never more than a year old.
A grandma’s dress is appropriate attire for the duck house chores. Her year-old dress is worn to church on Sunday.
A grandmother maintains her distance and belongs to the right family, joins the right clubs, and has the right friends.
The right club for a grandma sits around a circle and sews. She laughs with her best friends, some of whom she met only an hour before.
A visit to a grandmother’s house requires an invitation, an RSVP and is planned a month in advance.
A knock on the door is all the advance notice a grandma needs. The best three-course meals ever served come from what grandma creates from refrigerator leftovers.
A grandmother loves her grandchildren on her terms. The life lessons are given verbally.
A grandma loves her grandchildren – period. A grandma has an uncanny ability to relate to any child on their level. She knows when to speak and when to act. She realizes that her grandchildren may or may not be watching what she does, but she knows that God is watching and she makes sure that His light shines through her so her grandkids can see.
A grandmother has Bactine, Band-Aids and Tylenol in her medicine cabinet.
A grandma has Watkin’s salve, gauze and peppermint oil in hers.
A grandmother grows roses and carnations in her flower garden.
A grandma raises the most fragrant collection of herbs you can smell. Grandma did love her flowers (as evidenced by the fact that half of all her vacation photos were of flowers that she saw), but herbs can cure what ails you.
Everyone here knew the woman we grandkids only ever called “Grandma.” It always amazed me that wherever I went, people knew Sarah Slabaugh. I realized early on that she was a great reference point.
I was always proud to be her grandson. She set an example for me of how to work hard, use the brain that God gave me, appreciate what’s around me, and to look at the bright side of any situation. She didn’t know much about sports, but she knew how to motivate me. She offered me encouragement on more than just a few occasions when I wanted to quit.
Whenever I went through hard times in my life, I knew Grandma was always first in line to say a prayer for me. I never met anyone who had a more personal relationship with God, and was willing to share what that meant to her.
The last years of Grandma’s life were not especially kind to her. She lived through the tragedy of losing her two youngest children and a wonderful son-in-law. But through it all, her faith remained strong and she stayed true to who she was. She knew that she didn’t deserve God’s grace and mercy, but if there was ever anyone who deserved Heaven’s reward – it is my Grandma.
-- Larry Yeater
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That is one of the most beautiful eulogies I have very read, you're right he is not only a great writer but also a poet, it flows like a great poem. This is great that you have a website to collect all the great photos and memories,its just beautiful. Great job Lorin, as always.
ReplyDeleteYou did an awsome job. I can relive Mother's life through the pictures.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Lori! Grandma would have loved this. We came across all kinds of writings while going through her boxes - I'll start posting the things I have. If you find a small photo of her standing in the snow holding a turkey by its legs, let me know. I've been looking all over for it.
ReplyDelete