Great-Grandma Welker

Jason's grandmother passed away this week. Of all of our grandparents, she was the one the kids knew best of all. For a while, she lived in a nice trailer next to Jason's parents house. This afforded her some independence, but she was still close enough to get some extra help. We made it a point to take our kids over during every trip so that our kids could say hello.

Right about the time that Lucy was born, the signs of dementia started setting in. She could remember her past and our older kids, but Lucy never became embedded in her memory. You could tell that was a great source of frustration for her, that she knew she should know Lucy's name, but had to ask every time.

Randy, of course, took it hard. However, since my grandmother's funeral in the spring, he understands a little bit more about the Atonement. He asked if she was "in her tomb yet." We told him that Jason would be going to her funeral, and that she wouldn't be buried until then. He wanted to clarify that Jesus could "take her out of the tomb, right?" and wanted to know when her resurrection would occur. Although, we couldn't answer that specific question, he was satisfied with our testimonies that our grandmothers, and all of us, would one day be resurrected. I'm so grateful that we can comfort him with that knowledge, and that he has a the beginnings of a testimony of our Savior's sacrifice.

I'll always remember her a strong woman. Even at the end, when her mind and body were frail, her heart was strong. I admire her for ability to endure hardships- physically and emotionally. I'm also thankful for the example of Jason's parents, who have sacrificed so much and so long to care for her. She is loved and will be missed. But I know she is in a far better place and am so thankful for that knowledge.