October 3, 2003
A few things about Dean
We had a really fun week last weekend with Tiffany’s grandparents Clyde and Dean Clower. They drove all the way from Alabama to visit us, and they drove back home on Sunday. They didn’t come to see us. They came to see Caleb … obviously.
Needliess to say, it was a huge surprise on Monday when we found out that her grandmother Dean had died unexpectedly of a stroke and a heart attack. We were so shocked. The day before we hugged her neck, took a few more photos of her holding Caleb, told them we loved them, and we wished them a safe drive back to Alabama.
Here are a few things about Dean that stick out to me:
- The words she used: “Croak” was her most vile form of cursing. “Hickey” refers to any object she is currently talking about. “Lil’ Toot” refers to anything small and cute such as a puppy or a baby.
- The food she cooked. Man oh man could she prepare a spread of food. Thankfully, much of those great recipes were passed on to Tiffany.
- Her regularity … and concern for everyone else’s regularity. I want say more about that.
- Her love for gab. She was quite the talker. On average, she finishes a meal about 20 minutes after everyone else because she has to tell a story between each bite.
- Her desire to make others feel special. Tiffany and I had been dating a few months when I met her for first time. She served the meal on fine china. There were about 13 forks beside my plate!
- Mostly though, I remember the way she loved her family. She would selflessly take care of others at the drop of a hat. She had plans to come back out here to see us when Tiffany was planning on having a melanoma mole cut off her arm.
I know Dean will be missed like crazy. It’s a sad week in Tallassee, AL.
