Grandma Lorna

After a courageous battle with cancer my Grandma passed away at home in my Aunt Paige's arms the morning of Oct. 26, 2011. It was surreal up until her funeral because Grandma was invincible and I couldn't grasp the concept that she was gone. I saw her two days before she passed and she was asking me about the kids (who were home with Cody because I was just coming onto night shift) and telling me "I'm just fine dear." We always joked that Grandma's head could be on fire and she would still tell everyone she was "just fine."

Her funeral was a perfect tribute to her life. She was buried in a simple wooden casket just like she wanted. I heard so many wonderful things about her from so many people. I don't think I have ever heard an ill word spoken about Grandma. She was a wonderful and amazing person and will forever be missed. I have a big empty space in my heart right now and I long to hold her soft hands and hear her laugh. I love you Grandma and can't wait to see you again on the other side. I expect you to have a hot loaf of your legendary bread waiting for me!

Grandma B and I

I hope one day I can be half the woman she was

 Grandma at her 80th Birthday last year

 (right before she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma)

 

Things I don't want to forget about Grandma B:

-Her Amazing Raspberry Patch

-Legendary Homemade Bread

-The only person I ever knew to say "Oh Horsefeathers!"

-The Big Strawberry Cookie jar with the homemade wooden lid because the original got broken

-Every time I would call I would say "Hi Grandma, this is Teri" and her reply would be "Yes dear"

- She was one of the few people who still calls me "Teri Jo" or "T.J"

-She rarely wore pants. It was always skirts and dresses

- One Halloween she dressed all in white and covered her rocking chair in a white sheet right in  her doorway. She had her door open so as we walked up her front steps and looked through the screen all we could see was Grandma's head FLOATING!

-When ever someone would tease me for being small or short she would always tell me "Dynamite comes in small packages!"

-She was the inventor of "Cellarball". When the old cellar needed to be torn down, she had them leave the cinder block walls. She planted grass in it, put up a volleyball net and Viola "if you build it they will come!" We would play Cellarball until we couldn't see anymore and even then sometimes we would put lights up. Grandma was the final judge, what she said stuck even if everyone (including her) knew she was wrong!

-As a child we would climb on the haystack because let's face it, it was fun!! Grandma would tell us over and over again to STAY OFF THE HAYSTACK! She would get so mad at us!! We knew if we heard the back door slam it was either time to hide or run away fast!!

-Grandma never passed judgement, on anyone

-She believed in you, no matter what

-Grandma was my escort when I went through the temple for the very first time and even though I had no idea what I was doing she was so patient with me

-Money didn't matter and everyone counted

-She use to buy me Tiger's Milk bars as a kid and to this day I still find myself buying them and thinking of her

-She could make anything out of whatever she had around the house

-She would stand on her back porch and ring her cowbell to let us know it was time to come in

- I know just about every Dr. Suesss book by heart thanks to her and the countless hours she spent reading them to me as a child

-Grandma had the softest hands of anyone I know (and my mom has the same! )

Famous Grandma B Sayings:

"I know I'm somebody cuz God don't make no junk"

"Always live your life in a way that when you wake up in the morning Satan will say "Oh Darn! She's awake again!"

"How Neat"

"Oh for Heaven's Sake!"

"Oh Horse feathers"

"Service is better than self indulgence"

Lorna Mae Wadsworth Butikofer

 

Artist - Runner - Music Lover - Dancer - Marksman - Friend -  "Gun-totin' mama" - Cellarball judge - Positive attitude - Love Unconditionally - Wife - Sister - Daughter - Grandma - Great Grandma - Simple - Feisty - "Always wearing a dress, a smile on her face and a song on her lips" - Sewer - Cowbell ringer - Raspberry Patch Grower - Legendary Bread Maker -Respect -Patience - Gardner - Poetry - Lover of God - Flower Grower- Selfless - Honesty- Family - Charity - Example - Lover of everyone- Laughing - Enthusiastic - Very loud fan (who needs an entire cheer squad when you have Grandma) - Herbalist - Fixer of ALL boo-boo's - World's best lifeline!