My Grandmama

Patsy Emerson Koethe Seitz

She passed away early in the morning on Saturday, October 18th while she was sleeping peacefully. Some of my favorite things about my Grandmama:

*  She could tell the best stories, with great detail... I loved hearing her tell me about 'the good ole days', because she could tell me what made them so good. It was so fun to listen to stories about my mom, aunts and uncle when they were little, and imagining her and my Grandpapa when they were younger and learning through their own life experiences.

*  She had an amazing memory - I know that I was born on a Saturday because she told me over and over throughout my life. She could tell you what day of the week any one of her children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren were born.

*  She was a Christian and had an amazing love for God and the Bible. She had her funeral arrangements done before she died, complete with her favorite songs and scriptures, and it ended with the pastor telling us that she had written a note in the margin next to the scripture John 3:16. Her note said, "It all comes down to this." John 3:16 reads: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

*  Family heritage was very important to Grandmama, a love for which I must have inherited from her. She lived very near where she was born, in a tiny little town... Henrietta, Texas... which is rich with our ancestry. My Grandpapa's very handsome service photo is even there in the Clay County Museum. Grandmama had 4 birth children, and fostered 2 more; 12 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren. Grandmama was also my last living grandparent, which makes me very sad every time I think about it.

*  I've found so much peace in imagining the intense joy at her reunion with my Grandpapa (truly the love of her life!), my Aunt Jan (her youngest daughter), and my Grannie (her mother whom she cared for throughout my youth, showing amazing patience and love).

*  She traveled all over the country, and could tell you how to get from point A to point B, what routes to take, and what routes not to take. Although she traveled so much, she never, ever flew in an airplane. They terrified her. That always made me smile.

*  I'm her namesake, a very important fact that I was reminded of every time I spoke to her... without fail.... and I never tired of hearing it. I always felt so special because I was named after her. She was Patsy, and I'm Patricia.... I can't remember a time that she EVER called me 'Tricia' or 'Trish'... she ALWAYS called me Patricia, keeping that namesake element in there.

*  She knew how to love unconditionally. She let us know when she thought what we were doing was wrong, but nothing could ever change her love for any one of us.

*  It was very important to her that when she died, even though there would be 'a time to mourn'... that we don't mope, but celebrate her life and find joy in our memories of her. Many of us took that opportunity and went up to the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma after the funeral was over. That was one of her favorite places in the world, and it was such a wonderful experience, filled with memories of when we went there with her and my Aunt Jan, who passed away 2 1/2 years ago. I took lots of pictures and will post them soon.