Yesterday, April 2nd, my grandma passed away....

Grandma -- Inez (Simpson) Nunn -- was my last living grandparent.
I was lucky to have know all 4 of my grandparents -- and that all 4 lived pretty long lives.  Her life was 91 years -- a couple of months shy of 92 years young.    (This photo was taken when we were celebrating her 90th birthday.)  

She spent the last few years in a nursing home.  Each time we visited North Carolina, we went to see her at least once, twice, or more - depending on how long we were in town.

Even during these times with the virus, we were able to call her on the phone.  We just talked to her this past Saturday and she sounded good.  (better than a couple of weeks ago), so it was a shock to hear on Wednesday night that hospice was called earlier in the day.... then to learn on Thursday that hospice care was no longer needed.

My mom, uncle Mel and uncle Eddie were able to visit her Wednesday.  They had to wear masks, of course, when going to see her.... and mom said she didn't recognize them at first with the masks.  Wednesday was her last full day here on this Earth.  





When I was a kid, I used to spend the summers on grandma and grandpa's farm.  I used to gather eggs from the hen house.  Also, I would occasionally go to the big chicken houses down past the pond.   (Example photo here sort of resembles the inside of their chicken houses.)  The best thing about being there when the baby chicks arrived...they used to chase you around like you were their mama.  (Then, the next day you'd go back, they'd run from you.)  I used to love the baby chicks (and then eeewww - I would hate to go when they were big and grown in the chicken houses). 

I wouldn't eat chicken for a long long time!  


I remember them having a grape arbor with muscadine grapes and scuppernongs - walking into it and eating off of the vine.  (Sort of like this.  I wanted to do this with our arbor, however, Todd is allergic to yellow jackets, so....)  

We spent time in the garden.  We hand-washed dishes.  We picked pecans and then shelled them.  We shelled peas.  

Grandma canned everything: their own vegetables or things that people would bring them to the store.  I never did learn how to can with her although I learned later as an adult... when / if I do, always makes me think of grandma.  

We made fried okra and fresh biscuits.  She would always make country ham for me with red-eyed gravy - even into adulthood - because I liked it as a kid.  She made pound cake.  She made Todd coconut cake because he liked it.  (So did grandpa.)  We made no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies.     Most of the memories revolved around food because Grandma made EVERY meal.  This is what she did for the family - she kept things going... she was certainly the matriarch of the family! 

 Once they no longer lived in the house / they were grown and on their own, I used to cherish visits from my uncles.  Uncle Eddie or Uncle Mel would sometimes come over to pick up lunch for the guys at the store.  Every now and then, I would get to help deliver lunch to the farm-and-garden store... if I could go with someone.  (Grandma didn't want me crossing the street to get there on my own because cars go fast there.)    

I posted some photos found online of "the store" in post last summer when honoring grandpa after he passed:  http://candice-and-todd.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-first-half-of-july-was-really.html

Grandma watched Mel and Eddie's children when they were young.  By the time our kiddos came around - they enjoyed playing with the toys at grandma and grandpa's house.  They were always in their chairs in the back living room when we would visit.  Our kids would play with the toys and entertain.... I remember grandma once saying about our kids playing in their back living room: "It's like watching TV."  :)   

Grandma always had a Christmas cactus on the porch and laundry hanging up in the basement.  She kept things running.  I loved trying to sneak into the (formal) front living room because it was not really allowed...  

Christmas was always a time for gathering.   Many of these photos are from Christmas.  Once Aunt Sandra passed and once grandma started spending time in the nursing home, the Christmas gatherings did not happen as often.    I remember grandma having oranges with cloves in them sometimes at Christmas.  I really enjoyed this moment...when we made orange pomanders at the nursing home.  I thought this was a good activity to do on one of our visits.... bridging an old tradition with a newer generation.  

My memories are tied to their house in Liberty, but I do want to learn more about their lives before they were in the house / on the farm as we knew it.    

I've always loved this photo of grandma and grandpa.  They were married (according to my mom) on July 22nd, 1944 -- married about 75 years when grandpa passed away last year.

Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus, I am not going to the funeral service.  Yes - social distancing can be observed at the service - however now that I have asthma, I'm considered "high-risk" for the virus and more susceptible.  I tried to figure out logistics, but having to stop to get gas / to go to rest areas on the drive / etc. adds extra risk.  Then there's the issue of staying at my mom's... I would either be exposed to germs she's been exposed to... or she would be exposed to germs from Georgia.  

I know it will be a beautiful service and my family in North Carolina knows that I will be there with them in spirit.


Here is the official obituary from the newspaper:

" LIBERTY — Alma Inez Simpson Nunn, 91, of Liberty passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 2, 2020, at Universal Health Care in Ramseur.

There will be a private funeral service at Loflin Funeral Home chapel, Ramseur, with the Rev. Josh Kurtz officiating. Burial will be at Gilmore Memorial Park, Julian.

Inez was born in Surry County on June 2, 1928, to Charlie and Lizzie Watson Simpson and was a longtime resident of Liberty.  She attended Eldora School and Nathanael Greene School of Julian. Mrs. Nunn was strong in her faith, loved flowers and gardening, was an avid cook and enjoyed making many craft projects. She was active in church and homemaking activities during her younger years and cared for her mother for many years.

She will missed and her memory cherished by children, Gloria Ann Moore, Mel Nunn and wife Erika and Edward Nunn and wife Rhonda. She was the proud grandmother of Tracy Lawson Clontz, Candice Moore Groves, Mandy Lawson Byrd, Michael Nunn, Lauren Nunn and Emma Nunn; and the great-grandmother of Cooper Jones, Caitlin Clontz, Mercer Groves and Isabella Groves.

In addition to her parents and three siblings, she was preceded in death by husband, Melvin Cornell Nunn; and daughter, Sandra Lawson.

The family would like to thank the staff at Universal Health Care for the care they gave to their mother.