Little Munsters: Grandma P

My 97 year old Grandma passed away last month. Attending her funeral and reminiscing with family has given me a chance to reflect on her legacy. And what a legacy she left: 7 children, 29 grandchildren, 59 great grandchildren (and counting) and scores of adopted family and dear friends. Jamie Louise Collins Powers was one of a kind. She was born in 1919 and raised in Amelia, Virginia. Growing up on a farm during the depression instilled her with the values of thrift and hard work. She was also a great example of service and generosity. She raised her seven children in a two bedroom home, but that didn't stop her from taking in people that needed a roof over their heads. Grandma made friends everywhere she went. It is family lore that you could be anywhere in the world, drop her name and find someone that knew her and loved her dearly. I experienced this first hand on several occasions.

I grew up close by so had the opportunity to spend a good chunk of time at my Grandma's house as a child. Grandma was one of the hardest working women I know. She woke up her children (and later grandchildren) with the phrase, "It's a beautiful day to work." And work she did. Grandma is not known for her talents at housekeeping (hmm, that's something I can relate too,) but was in her element in her garden and blackberry patch. She loved her blackberries and cultivated them into some beauties. My hands bear the scars of the time I spent helping pick blackberries at her house - scars I'm proud of. If you visited Jamie Louise's house, you also know about her commitment to the mantra reduce, reuse, recycle. Her depression upbringing made sure she conserved everything. When you had a drink at her house, you drank it out of a salvaged juice container. If you wiped up a spill, you did it with an already used (but still some use left) paper towel. And if you used the bathroom (#1), you could expect to not be the first one to yellow the water. Only #2 was worthy of a flush. Grandma even modified her washer so she could reuse the water in her garden. I won't pretend that I'm nearly as committed to the earth as my Grandma Powers was. But I suppose my affinity for recycling, cloth napkins and part-time cloth diapering was instilled in me by my Grandma P.

Another thing you had to admire about Jamie Louise was her spunk. She was not the type of women that let her husband do the talking. Actually, she talked all the time (something else I've inherited from my Grandma.) Grandma was a strong, confident woman and she raised 5 strong, confident daughters that in turn raised 18 strong, confident granddaughters.

I don't mean to imply that my Grandma was a saint. She had her flaws. Her children especially, were keenly aware of her imperfections. And she wasn't a doting grandmother or a particularly kind one. She told you exactly what she thought without any effort to spare your feelings. But she loved her family and I never doubted that. Actually, I think it's her imperfections that make me admire her all the more. My own imperfections are remarkably similar to those of my grandmother's. And it gives me hope that she accomplished so much despite her faults. If only I can be as committed to the service of Jesus Christ as she was. She was a fantastic missionary and shared the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ tirelessly. I hope that I can be as generous with my time, talents, and property. She didn't have much, but she shared what she had with strangers and friends alike. I hope that I can instill in my children and grandchildren the same values of hard work that she embodied. I am sure grateful to be the granddaughter of Jamie Louise Collins Powers, a truly remarkable woman. I hope she is enjoying her reunion in heaven with friends and family she loved dearly.

http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Jamie-Powers&lc=5086&pid=183580710&mid=7248778#