A Sad Departure

Today, I grieve for and with my children.  Their grandmother passed away this morning from liver cancer.  When diagnosed, she was given 3-6 months.  God and this lady had other plans as she lived almost 18 months beyond the estimate, in spite of refusing treatment.  Those who knew Marj Crum best would joke that she was "too stubborn" to die when the doctors said she would.

In the past 2 years, Marj was allowed to witness things she could not have had the doctors been correct.  She was present at the wedding of my 3rd daughter, Sadie, to her 1st love, Alex Skrove.  This forbear of at least 20 (i think) grandchildren and great-grandchildren was able to meet two wonderful wee ones in William Alexander Porter, born almost 5 months ago to Jebidiah and Heidi (who were not supposed to be able to conceive) and Abigail Lee Garwood, daughter of Erin and Corey, born shortly after her great-grandmother's diagnosis.  Before passing, she recently witnessed the reign of terror begun by Osama bin Laden brought to an end.

Although she had a very ruff-n-gruff exterior, I gained some insight to her heart thru my daughter Heidi.  Being a somewhat-less-than-endearing son-in-law, I'm not surprised I could not see her softer side.  But Heidi saw thru her facade and was aware of the love and caring she demonstrated.  Marj intensely loved her kids, grandkids and great-gk's and showed it by trying to motivate them to become better than they were.  Even at the end, she thought of her children by requesting she be cremated with no funeral service to minimize the expenses of her death.

I wish I could have known this lady for who she was instead of how I saw her.  My life would have been much richer for it.

Marjorie Crum
1934 - 2011