Today was my grandma Freda's funeral. My grandma was one tough cookie. She was tough as nails. She was born at a time "when men were men and women were too." You just had to know her. I didn't know my grandmother well when I was young. My grandparents lived in Montana and I only saw them once or twice a year and we were always afraid of my grandma. One time when she came to help my mom after my mom had had a baby my grandma hung David up by his ears. As I got older I realized she was strict but she wasn't mean. I began to appreciate what a fountain of knowledge she was. She knew how to do things that I will never know. She knew how to live off the land, how to garden an acre of land, how to sew and make do. She was frugal and they never went hungry because of her hard work and planning for a rainy day. The older I got the more I loved to ask my grandma questions about the things she knew. I felt like those things will be lost when that generation passes away. She taught me how to make carmel one Christmas, strawberry freezer jam, and real applesauce. This past week I was a little concerned that her children (my aunts and uncles) would get up and say things at her funeral like "She was so sweet. She never said a mean thing to anyone" I didn't want to go to a funeral that was not true to who she was. My Aunt, Mom and uncles did a great job. My uncle Dick's talk started out saying he had the meanest mom in the world. She made him learn to work, she made him eat balanced meals, she always had to know where he was going and what he was doing. The three things that came up again and again were: She taught them how to work, she loved them and they knew it, and she loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. She even wrote a book about genealogy in the 50's- I never knew that. I also learned that my Leckie ancestors were "rounders" as my grandfather called them. They had been around the block and to places that they didn't want people knowing where they had been. So when my grandma would start asking questions for her genealogical records, people would pack up and leave. The grandchildren sang the first verse of "I know that my Redeemer lives" and the great grandchildren sang "I will follow God's plan" and "I am a child of God". Gordon accompanied and James played his violin. It was really nice. It has been so nice to see cousins and uncles that I rarely see. That is the best part about funerals. My Aunt Rilla's ward hosted the dinner after the funeral. It is nice to have the blessing of the relief society. I will remember the next time I sign up to take food to a funeral that it is appreciated and makes a difference. My Grandmother lived a great life. She was unwavering in her testimony. "It's true. It's all true. It's glorious." Live for that great day.
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