This is my grandma, Ruth Moe. I discovered this photo of her at my mom's house earlier this summer. I love it because this is probably from the early 70's which would have been when I was a girl. This is how I remember her. Aside from the obvious fun of the styling, which cracks me up, I love the stern expression on her face. She was never really stern but had to put on this attitude for her students (and grandkids) sometimes.
Her hair turned silvery-white as she aged and by the time my children were born she had long hair worn in a french twist. Her face also softened quite a bit.
She was a schoolteacher for many many years. All of her students loved her and everyone wanted "Mrs. Moe" for the fourth grade. She taught at Peters Elementary in Plantation Florida and we lived nearby. All of the kids in the neighborhood knew her and were impressed to learn that Mrs. Moe was my grandmother.
After her retirement she devoted herself to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was the quintessential grandmother. She quilted, baked cookies and was a pillar of her church. She also started taking piano lessons. It was something she had "always wanted to do." Her piano teacher was one of her former students - now grown, married and a father.
She also did French Hand Sewing - by hand, of course! She made a beautiful christening gown, Christmas stockings and dresses for her granddaughters and great-granddaughters.
Grandma Moe always encouraged my creativity. When I was about in fifth grade I was sick with the mumps and my mom sent me to her house to recover. While there I discovered her stack of craft magazines and sent her out shopping for supplies. "I need FINIALS and pipe cleaners and paint and jingle bells and felt and don't forget the glue..." She was happy (at least she SEEMED happy...) to do this. I had so much fun creating that I never wanted to leave.
Later on she gave me my first sewing machine for Christmas. She also gave me my first guitar. The guitar didn't work out....
In 1976, just in time for the Bicentennial, she helped me with my first quilt. The pattern was called "Aunt Sukey's Choice." I put it in a frame at her house and she and her friends and my mom and even my great-grandmother helped to quilt it. I still have that quilt. It is pretty cute!
Grandma Moe always encouraged me in anything I ever tried to do. She made me feel important and talented and powerful. She is gone now, but I hold her in my heart. Someday I hope to be the kind of grandmother that she was to me.
3 comments:
I love that picture! I've never seen any pictures of Ruthie when she was younger - thanks for sharing! And you are right - she was the quintessential grandmother. Some of my fondest memories of her have to do with our common love of coffee, books, and funky jewelry. She was quite a gem, herself.
By the way - LOVE the designer jacket! It will look fabu on you!
That got me all teary, Laura. I miss my grandma too. What lovely memories you have made come to life again here.
Such great memories you've shared Laura - I really enjoyed reading this :)
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