July 22, 2006
Gran Gran
After fighting a courageous battle with cancer, my dad’s mother Annie Tucker died this week. Gran Gran—as her 26 grandchildren called her—was 87 years old and an amazing woman.
I was asked to give a short light-hearted talk about some of my memories of Gran Gran. Here is the content of the speech. It’s not a transcript, so if you were there, it may not have come out exactly like this, but it was pretty close I think:
I remember when I first heard the name Annie Tucker. I was like, who’s that? Ohhhhh. that’s Gran Gran. I thought her name was Gran Gran. I just assumed her driver’s license said, First name: “Gran.” Middle name: “Gran.” ...and no idea what her last name was I assumed it was probably “Gran” too. Gran Gran Gran.
And what a fitting name it is. Gran Gran. No. Grand Grand. She’s a grand lady.
How can you not think a woman who had 8 Children is grand! Just being able to remember all 8 children’s name is grand. I don’t know how she kept all the names straight. Hey Henry, I mean James go get your sister Catherine, I mean Linda to tell Gladys, I mean Joyce. I think after 4 kids, you’d just give up. Hey Donald, I mean Ronald, No Donald, Ronald, Who are you anyway? When did you get here? I know you from somewhere. I believe we’ve met. I recognize your face. Oh it doesn’t matter who you are. Get in here and help wash these dishes. I don’t know how many times my dad has called me Henry and my mom Catherine.
Big families are awesome. There are so many cousins. I remember playing together during the summer over at the bay…swimming, playing baseball, diving off the pier. And the amazing thing is Gran Gran remembered to send a birthday card to every single one of us. I received one from her just a few months ago.
Gran Gran also made every single one of us a handmade Christmas ornament each year. You can’t think of Gran Gran without thinking of her favorite pastime: cross-stitching. For a while, I think she single-handily kept Sapp’s frame store in business. I remember the time when the Mobile Register ran a story about her. We were all so proud. Raise your hand if you have a one of Gran Gran’s cross stitch pieces in your house. Unbelievable. I’d love to know how many pieces she’s created. I think it would blow our mind. I bet if you were unwind every single thread, and stretch them end to end, it would probably stretch from here to “Chatom I reckon.”
Besides cross-stitching, Gran Gran Gran loved playing friendly—no vicious—games of “May I”, the beloved card game known far and wide throughout the far reaches of … the Knight family. And while there is still lingering controversy as to whether or not Jokers—when they are the first card turned over in the deck—should be “burned” or played, there is no controversy about Gran Gran being the toughest, most ruthless “May I” player ever. she is the “May I” grand champion. Many summer nights, late summer nights, I could look out our bay house window, across Mrs. Sullivan’s front porch, and see lights on Gran’s Gran’s front porch. I knew there was a card game going on.
But no matter how late the card game went, she was always up at dawn the next morning, checking out the beach, looking for a Jubilee. Gran Gran was probably one of the few Grandmothers who actually had a CB name. “Breaker Breaker one nine. This is River Rat calling for Flounder Queen.” That’s right, her CB handle was “Flounder Queen”. She had quite a knack for gigging flounder.
Basicallyabout the only thing she didn’t have a knack for was sitting still. She could work circles around people half her age. That work ethic, has kept her looking young too. In fact, my dad told me the story about how he took Gran Gran to a doctor’s appointment, and the doctor mistook her for his wife, instead of his mom. Dad said that just made her day.
These are just a few of my memories of Gran Gran Gran. It’s such a privilege to share them with you. If each of us had the opportunity to stand up and share our memories of Gran Gran, some would be the same and some would be different. That’s because after nearly 88 years of living, there are plenty of memories to go around.
It truly was an honor to give this speech in front of so many people I know and love so much…but see too rarely. But it was an even greater honor to know and love and be loved by Gran Gran.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Grandy // Jul 22, 2006 at 6:09 pm
I was truly blessed by the whole service for Gran Gran, and your words set the mood for our “celebration” for her. Thankk you for that. Mom
2 Nathan Smith // Jul 22, 2006 at 7:21 pm
I am sorry to hear of your loss Andy. It’s always tough, but made more bearable by remembering the virtues of a life well lived. Your family will be in our prayers during this time.
3 Yannick // Jul 22, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Sorry to hear of your loss also Andy. That was a very nice speech you made for grandmother. I’m sure it brought back good memories for everyone there. May the Lord continue to be with your family and comfort you in this time.
4 Aunt Liz // Jul 23, 2006 at 7:31 pm
Andy, your uplifting talk about Gran-Gran was tremendous. You are so right that we all have many of the same memories as you and many more that would have kept us there for days. I am so blessed to be a part of this wonderful Christian family and share in the love that we all have for each other. Gran-gran always treated me as her own daughter and I will always cherish our time together. Thank you so much for making a difficult time much easier to bear with your heartfelt words that made it more of a celebration of life rather than a sad time of loss. Love to you and your beautiful family.
Aunt Liz
5 Dianne Murphy // Jul 25, 2006 at 11:18 am
What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful lady. She will be sadly missed by many of us. Wouldn’t the world be a much better place if there were more people like Ms. Annie Knight Tucker?
6 Anita McLain // Jul 25, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Ms. Annie was truly a remarkable person. It was just a few short weeks ago that she was showing us her garden. I am so glad she was able to do things for as long as she did and did not have to sit for a long period of time doing nothing. We all know that wouldn’t be her. I know that there is a special place for her in heaven and she is growing her garden for Jesus now. She will be sadly missed.
7 Beverly Rutland // Jul 25, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I had the priviledge of meeting Mrs. Annie a a few years ago. From the minute I met her I knew she was a “special” person. She had such a “sweet” spirit about her. She was always smiling and never complained about anything. A couple of times Ray and I went by, hoping to lift her up and encourage her and try to be a blessing to her and the rest of the family and we walked out being the ones that were blessed and lifted up…just by being in her prescence. It was no secret that she loved Jesus and she loved her family. I am a better person for having the pleasure of knowing Mrs. Annie Tucker. Heaven is sweeter now that she is there. Our loss is Heaven’s gain!
8 Katherine Oweeta Knight Simison // Jul 25, 2006 at 10:52 pm
Andy, you were “right on” baby! She was the lovely person you portrayed in your speech. She was always a loving, non judgmental and giving person. She meant so much to Dallas and I when we retired and we traveled and camped together for many years. She knew our friends that soon became HER friends as well as ours. She had a way about her that drew people to her with that easy smile and calm way of living. She was a joy to live with and we were blessed when she came to live with us for these nearly five years now. We (her children) were blessed by God to be able to be by her bedside when she “passed” into Heaven from this world. We sang “off key” but lustily and joyfully the hymns she loved and we felt like we “sent” her to heaven with joy in her heart. What a blessing she was to us, her family. It is large and loving and we are blessed to have her, Daddy and Pop in our lives. Thank you for your words and remembrances that brought joy to our hearts at the celebration of her life. It was truly a wonderful experience. Sadness because we will miss her so very much, BUT joy because she went with God and his angels and we knew it. Katherine
9 Evelyn Simison // Jul 25, 2006 at 11:16 pm
Andy, it was wonderful to listen to you honor Gran Gran as you did. You touch on so many highlight of her life. As you spoke I could picture the memories in my mind—”My I” card games, jubilee wake-up calls and others. Thank you for setting the stage to honor her. I have never been to a passing were I left rejoicing. I to will treasure my memories of Gran Gran—of her love, kindness and excepting of others. We miss her in the flesh, but know we will see her again with our Lord. Love Evelyn
10 Charles Davis // Jul 27, 2006 at 6:53 am
If you looked up “the ideal Christian” in the Dictionary you saw a picture of this lady. You were never a stranger to her, even when you met her for the first time. I am a better person from having known her. She was a blessing to everyone she met. O, how we all need to have a hope in Jesus like Miss Annie had. We can if we ask for it!
Charles Davis
11 Gail Nance // Jul 28, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Andy, I am so touched with your tribute to Gran Gran. Even though I was unable to be there, everyone was in my thoughts and prayers. I recently lost my father about 2 weeks before her and it really hit home with me. She was and is a wonderful lady and I feel blessed to have known her…May God bless each and everyone of her family members…Love to you all…....
12 betty chafin // Jul 31, 2006 at 6:56 pm
mrs tucker was truly a precious soul here on this earth she and kathryn took such good care of dallas we were so delighted to meet this dear family through our love of clock repair gran gran as you call her did so enjoy her cuckoo clock we met her the week she moved in with dallas and kathryn we are so sorry that we were not here to know of her home going our prayers are with you and all of the family fred and betty chafin
13 katherine Simison // Aug 10, 2006 at 11:32 pm
all these comments about Mom, GranGran and friend are so wonderful they make my heart sing. Thank each of you for your comments about my precious mom. I continually see her in each room and hear her voice it seems at times, calling me and laughing. She was a precious person to live with. But I KNOW she is happy in Heaven with Jesus and I don’t wish her back here as she has grown to a higher plane. Dallas and I miss her so much. She was such a vital part of our lives for so long. He had us both crying at 3 AM the other night when he awakened and as I was holding him, he was crying, What is wrong I asked? He said, I miss Mama. Not YOUR mother, or Maw in law he always called her, but Mama. I miss her kissing me goodnight too. With him in the hospital bed she always came in our room and kissed us goodnight. She is so happy where she is that I would not wish her back here but we do miss her. Such a sweet smile she had constantly. God is blessed to have her with HIM. Katherine and Dallas
14 Jared & Melissa // Aug 11, 2006 at 12:37 am
I would like to thank everyone that attended the service. Myself and Melissa have both never experienced anything like GranGran’s service. Personally to me it was not a service to remember, morn or say goodbye it was to honor her and everything she did. They say you can pick your friends but not you relatives, well God blessed us all with her. In honor of GranGran I love you all and God bless us all that we will be as loved and honorable as she is.
15 Linda Vice // Aug 11, 2006 at 7:11 pm
It’s heart warming to read comments about our Mom. We all miss her SO MUCH, but we have so many wonderful memories. Love and family were so important to Daddy and Mama…these came before anything. Our close family is proof of this. No matter how far apart physically we are, we are all close in love and support. Her celebration of life was so uplifting and thanks Andy for helping us celebrate with your memories and sweet delivery of them. Looking back, those weeks leading up to her death and those after passed all too quickly…in some respects it was like being in a maze, a fog. We were hanging on to her as we always have, not wanting her to go, but blessed that she would be with Jesus and all the loved ones who were waiting for her. She left a legacy that will be hard to live up to…
16 Carolyn // Aug 13, 2006 at 7:40 pm
It is an honor to have known this great lady, and will always regard her as such. Her contagious laugh and beautiful smile will forever be with us . Remembering all she did and said will be in our hearts and minds. For the great times we had together we say THANK YOU. With all our love, Bert and Carol
17 Laura // Aug 17, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Not a day passes that I don’t think about her. Her advice comes to mind often, like “Never say what you’re not going to do, because that’s exactly what you will end up doing.” I miss you Gran Gran.