Gram Eichstaedt
It’s unfortunate that my kids didn’t know my Gram Eichstaedt. She passed away just after Cory was born. She was an amazing woman and I miss her like crazy some days.
Gram was everything you could want in a grandmother. I had the extra benefit of living with her all the time when I was a kid. She embodied unconditional love and had the patience of a saint. Of course you would have to with 9 kids and 3 grandkids living with you all the time.
How many kids can say their grandmother taught them to read with flash cards? Were best friends with your second grade nun? Loved the song Tura, Lura, Lura (It’s an Irish lullaby)? Convinced your Dad to let you go all the way to Oak Street beach with your friends on a BUS when you were 11? On a hot day let you drink cold water in a silver cup? Got you out of more trouble when you were in high school and never made you tell your Dad?
I have so many memories of Gram, so many stories…so I guess I’ll start with my first memory of her. Gram had a desk in the corner of the dining room on Long Ave. she sat there and taught me how to read. Flash cards-red with pictures on one side, words on the other side. I was 4. I have no idea but I’m sure she did this with all of her kids and us. I know she did it with my Dad he told me about it when I was older. I LOVED it. I waited everyday for her to tell me I could do flash cards. It was great. My Gram gave me the best gift ever when she taught me to read. She told me that reading was a wonderful gift that God gave us. I could read a book and it could take me to a far away land or another book that could tell me how things happened in another time. She told me that unlike movies books let me imagine how things looked or what color hair a character had. I could go anywhere and learn anything I wanted. My Gram gave me the gift of the written word and I gave that gift to my kids. My daughter to this day falls asleep reading a book.
It’s always made me sad that my only two vivid memories of Grandma Eichstaedt are:
1- Her funeral. I remember looking up at your Dad, and he was crying, and I thought, Uncle Bob is sad. I was 7.
2- Once, when I was playing solitare, I cheated, and she TOTALLY BUSTED ME. I don’t think I ever cheated at solitare again my entire life.