Kristin Fields Chadwick

She was a strong woman. The strongest I know, in fact. My heart is saddened that the last ten years of her life, I saw her maybe once a year. But she was my Grammy. My father’s mom. 96 years old. Living life each day to the fullest despite circumstance and tragedy. When she was just a new mom with two children and one in the oven, the love of her life, “Bunny” Merriam was killed in an explosion in Texas. But she looked life in the eye, with ambition and determination and unexplainable strength and gave her children what she thought best. I can only imagine the day my father was born what her emotions could have been. Excitement yet such sadness that Bunny was not there. But she moved on and carried the weight of the world on her shoulders to provide for her family. And she did.
I can remember to visit her for a week at a time in the summer as a little gril. I remember riding in her clean leather interior car thinking, she is one cool grammy. She bowled; she swam; the pool was even named after her; she knew everyone at the assisted living home; she rarely took the elevator; she liked the exercise of the stairs; she was a gardener; she was a mean “kings in the corner” player and “bridge” player; she liked her afternoon totty; she loved her children; she was generous; she was passionate about her grandchildren attending college; she was smart; she loved people; she was committed in her faith; she was romantic; she was hopeful; she remarried at the age of 94! She lived life to the fullest- to the very last day of her 96 years on this earth.
I am blessed to be apart of her heritage. What strength in a woman. She passed away this past weekend but she lives within me during those times when courage override every other possible emotion. She was my Grammy.