Oh my grandma was what she was, did her best with what she got, lived a long time and died because she was ready to. She was my last surviving grandparent, certainly not the first family member to die. She was close to me mainly because my father was close to her. She influenced everything about our family life. I don't rose-color her life, but I do understand that there were reasons for everything about her. She was a fierce and determined woman who lost her joy in life when she lost her independence and her opportunity to be creative in the world. She has taught me many lessons, and I'm sure there are still some to learn.