My dear Grandma Ruth,

I wish I could have said this to you one last time in person, but so life goes...

I love you so much, and I'm eternally grateful for the love you showed towards me and your all your care. I’ll remember you especially for your amazing sense of humor-- you always knew how to make everyone around you smile.

Thank you for raising me when I was young. Some of my earliest memories are with you, walking down our block as you took me to the local diner in Oakland, or to get sweet treats at Hooper's Bloopers. I remember you helping me with a crossword puzzle sitting on our living room couch as light poured in from the window. I must have been about 5 years old or so.

I’m grateful for all the memories we made together, and especially all the meals we shared. We both loved to eat, and I remember laughing all the times you would sample something from my plate, plucking it off with a ‘Oop, bug on that one!’, or ‘Gotta test it to make sure it’s safe!’, with a wink.

I remember sitting at the kitchen table at your and Henry’s house a few years ago. Henry was at work so it was just the two of us, and we were eating toast and drinking tea. I put the radio on and a rock song was playing. You started making up your own lyrics and singing loudly! You made me laugh and showed me that life can be light-hearted at all ages.

I know you had your share of pain, too, especially in these last years, but even through these times you kept cracking your jokes. Henry took care of you so well every day, and I loved seeing how you poked fun at each other. I saw how well he took care of you and how much he sacrificed for you in big and small ways, every day and night. You were so well loved, across both coasts.

Thank you for always praying for me, grandma. You always told me that you had angels watching over you and taking care of you, and that you prayed for me every day. Now you are my unseen angel, and I will think of your loving presence watching over me, supporting me, and rooting for me through good and challenging times. I was hoping to schedule another visit to come see you, and I’m sad that I won’t get to do that. I’m grateful that I got to hold your hand at church last year when I came to visit, and that I got to spend time with you. I’m happy that we went through all the photo albums together and you talked with me at length about your life.

Rest in great natural peace, grandma. I love you forever.

-Kimberly