Farewell Grandma: A Heartfelt Goodbye and a Lifetime of Lessons

Farewell Grandma,

In the middle of the night around 3:15am, my son woke up and started to cry for no apparent reason. He is an amazing sleeper and does not usually wake up at all. That morning we were leaving for our first vacation in over two years. As I walked out the front door, my uncle called me at 7am. I immediately knew why he was calling, as him and I do not talk much, and it was early my time.

He began to explain that when the assisted living staff did their rounds, they found my grandma Shirley—my best friend, my only living grandparent—had passed away in her sleep at the ripe age of 97. He told me they believe the time of death was 6:15am EST. This means that my son had woken up in the middle of the night exactly when Shirley was passing. Sylas is her namesake.

Losing a Grandma and Feeling the Moment

I was shaken, though we also had to catch a flight. I yelled inside to my wife, "Shirley died, get in the car!" On the drive to the airport, the energy of the passing sank in and I began to weep. I had not had a good cry in some time. I was relieved she had passed away in her sleep and also grief-struck.

My grandma Shirley was sharp as a tack until the last day she was embodied. I saw her a week before she left us and spoke to her the day before she passed away. She kept telling me she was "not for this world anymore."

A Life Fully Lived

Born in 1926, I could feel how the world had passed her by. Her way of being was from the old world. She had respect for others’ opinions and also did not want to carry others’ problems. Shirley lived her life powerfully. She outlived her husband by 27 years, her son—my father—by 13 years, and all of her friends. So getting to this point was sad but sweet. She was ready to go.

My grandma constantly told me one central piece of advice I will share with you all: Do not wait to do the things you want to do. She would say that by the time you get around to it, you will be different and may not feel like going or doing that same thing. Live in the present, make mistakes, live your life—this is what we are here to do.

I love you, Grandma. You are missed oh so much.

Love Always and Forever,
Your Grandson,
Matthew