Hazel Marquerite Groat and (William) Clare Beaudry met and fell instantly in love at a baseball game. My grandpa was playing a game with his friends(Hazel's brother being one of them) and my Grandma was flipping the score cards on the board. They were too young to get married, she was only 15 years old and he wasn't much older. Against the wishes of her family they married and had 11 children. Raising their large family was a financial burden, but it didn't hinder their commitment to each other. During their life time they survived the depression, being estranged from family (the marriage wasn't looked on fondly ) being separated for two years during World War II, the loss of their young son,a daughter born with a hole in her heart, and both working many jobs as they made ends meet, as well as living with the challenges of emphysema and diabetes in their later years.
We live in a society that doesn't seem to have much staying power. Marriages seem to be as disposable as Kleenex. My Grandparents were married for 59 years and I know they weren't always easy ones. However, my grandparents were having a glorious love affair with each other and I know that is what got them through the tough times.
Growing up, I spent many of my weekends and family vacations staying with my grandparents, I called them Papa and Meemaw. My grandma always wore red lipstick, had her hair done and had red nail polish on her fingers. She played bingo, talked to her daughters every day, and didn't take any bologna from kids. My grandpa was always convinced that my grandma was busy flirting with the old men if she took too long at the grocery store. He watched baseball(all the flippity doo dah time!), watched CBS soap operas, and gave great advice.
My Grandma was a lady. Sure, she swore sometimes...but hell, damn, and sh#$ were the absolute limits. She twinkled and she was a charmer. As a child, I was terrified of my grandma. As a teenager I was in awe of her. The older I became, the more clearly I saw her. A woman with 10 kids to raise, hold down a job(or two), and keep her home up had to be tough. As I aged, I saw her resiliency come through. She was there for everyone in her life. Always giving a smile, a phone call, a meal, or a dollar.
My Papa was the same way. He gave nicknames to the grand kids...oddly appropriate ones...mine was Weasel. He was always reorganizing his home, or building a lamp or visiting his kids. Or in my case, attending the Daddy/Daughter dance dressed up in his best suit and sitting with the other dads clapping for the girls singing and dancing out on the dance floor.
My grandparents had so much love for each other that it overflowed and spilled out to the rest of us. Days spent with them were filled with laughter and stories told sitting at the dining room table playing kings in the corner or 10,000. There are many examples I could share with you of how madly and deeply they were in love...but I will give just a few of my favorites. Driving with my grandparents to Algonac to spend the day with family my Grandma put her hand on my Papa's where it was resting on the stick shift and they drove like that the whole way(they lived in Fraser). My favorite moment happened once around the time my Grandma's kidney's started to give out on her. My Grandpa was sitting in his recliner in the corner of the living room, and my Grandma was walking by. I was sitting on the couch. My Grandpa just said her name...real soft...and she looked over at him and smiled(twinkled at him)...and he smiled back. She walked back to him and sat on the arm of his chair and kissed him. They had to be at least in their late 70's...
I thought of them today and I cried just a little. I wish everyone could be inspired by this kind of love or at least have the opportunity to share it.
