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My goal in curating this blog is to create a ‘time capsule’ that will help our family remember all the big and small as well as happy and sad moments that shape our lives. Unfortunately this post is about one of those sadder moments.

We lost a very special lady last week. After 93 years my grandmother finally passed. Our family joined together to remember her last Friday and I had the privilege to write and deliver her ‘reflection.’ I think this best summarizes the special place she occupied in our lives for so many decades!

Reflection for Florence Stoops, March 24, 2017:

Good afternoon. My name is Kristi Phillips and I am Floss’s eldest granddaughter. I want to thank you all for coming as we remember this wonderful woman and the impact she had on all of us. 
 
During her 93 years on this Earth her roles were many. She was first the daughter to Earl and Catherine and sister to Ann, Earl, Bertha Mae and her beloved Betty. As she grew older she was even our very own Rosie the Riveter, working in the steel mill to support her family and the war efforts during World War II. She was also a friend, devout church member, avid bell collector, BINGO enthusiast, practical joker- and as some of my cousins would argue- card shark.
 
But her most sacred and cherished role was wife and mother- and mother in all it’s forms- inlaw, grand and great. In preparation for today’s reflection I asked my family to share some of their favorite and most precious memories of grandma. In reading your thoughts there was one particular theme that shone through and I think best embodies grandma’s life work and how I am personally choosing to remember her today. That word is LOYALTY.
 
Fierce family loyalty, love and dedication. Grandma was not always a woman of many words but her actions spoke for themselves. Her loyalty and love of her family is evident in both your reflections of her AND how she chose to live her life each and every day.
 
It manifested itself in her unwavering dedication to her husband Walter and their marriage of 60 years.
 
It shone through in the pride she took dressing up ‘her girls’ for trips to the soda fountain as young children. And then how she helped her own daughters raise their families; from supporting new moms going back to work, to lending a hand when their kids were sick, and babysitting grandkids after school. These were a few of the small acts she performed which showed her pride, commitment and love of her three daughters Donna, Bonnie and Connie.
 
Her love and loyalty for family was also felt by her grandchildren and framed how she and grandpa spent their golden years together; often times crisscrossing eastern Pennsylvania in order to attend every soccer game, football game, dance recital, birthday party, grandparents day, christening, 1st communion, prom, graduation, wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the list goes on. You could always count on them to be there. Grandma even learned to drive at 72 when grandpa’s eyesight began to fail just so that she wouldn’t miss an event. Now in hindsight, this may not have been the best plan. He couldn’t see and she struggled to hear the sirens, blowing horns and other traffic noise. But somehow it worked.
 
But Even if you didn’t see her on the sidelines or in the audience, Grandma’s love and loyalty for her family was visually apparent the moment you walked through her door. It was evident by the countless family photos she prominently displayed in her home or the pride she took when showing off the newest bell given to her by a grandchild from their latest adventure.
 
And as my cousins and I grew older, grandma welcomed our new spouses with open arms, embraced our babies, her great grandchildren, with pure love, smiles and joy. She made room on the wall for these new family members as if they’d always been there.
 
If we were to each pause and think about the pivotal moments and milestones in our lives, I’m confident that grandma and grandpa would occupy some small or large part of that memory. She and grandpa may not have been loud people but they were some of our biggest and again most loyal cheerleaders.
 
Now on a lighter note, Grandma was also loyal to more than her family. She was loyal to a good practical joke. She taught some of us the important lessons that ‘if you pick your nose, your eye will pop out or if you swallow a watermelon seed, one will grow in your stomach.’ Many of us met her soda can where the fake snakes popped out of it, played her games of 52 pick-up and enjoyed her creative Halloween costumes. We laughed when she mocked our use of iphones and pretended to text with a remote control or tissue box. Or simply experienced her quirky observations of the world around her. She loved to make us laugh and laugh with us.
 
Grandma was loyal to the beach. Whether it be Sea Isle, Atlantic City or LBI she was in her happy place by the sea, with her family, enjoying the sun and salty fresh air.
 
Speaking of Atlantic City, Grandma was also loyal to the penny slots.
 
She was loyal to Red Lobster and the pasta alfredo.
 
She was loyal to country music and reading her tabloid magazines.
 
She was loyal to looking her best and always ensuring her necklace and earrings matched her blouse.
 
She was loyal to a good game of rummy with her grandkids.
 
And I’d be remiss without mentioning her love and loyalty to crab cakes. Never missing an opportunity to send her grandkids on ‘secret missions’ to collect crab cakes and shrimp at parties to save in her ‘ice box’ for later.
 
Thank you grandma for everything you’ve taught us about laughter, love and loyalty to family. We will miss you in a hundred big and small ways each day but take joy in knowing that you’re at peace now and holding hands with grandpa yet again.
 
While we know that you can no longer join us here on Earth, we know you’re watching out for us each and every day. Because as we all know- grandma was also VERY loyal and never missed an opportunity for some great people watching.
 
We love you grandma. May you rest in peace.