A Blessing and Loss of My Father

Tony and Lorraine were blessed with a little baby girl. They named her Judy. She was our first grandchild, born August 22, 1953. Of course, we all made a fuss over her. When Judy was two weeks old she was baptized. She looked like a little doll. I would cradle Judy in my arms and rock her to sleep. I sang all the baby songs I knew to her. When Judy was old enough to creep, we would leave the door between the apartment and the house open. Judy would creep over to our side of the house and call, “Nana, Pop-Pop.” Of course, we thought she was smart. We would pick her up, hug her and kiss her. She loved that.

Our first grandchild was born on August 22, 1953, and my father passed away on August 23, 1953. Our grandchild had had a great-grandfather for one day. It was a sad time. He died on my son John's birthday. John was 27 years old. My father was 89 years old. My youngest brother Nick and his wife had taken care of him until he passed away. They were good to him.

Now our children had no grandparents. My father left me one lot of land and my two brothers got everything else. We sold the land for $1,500. I gave my husband $1,200 and kept the rest for myself. I bought a $200 kitchen set; it is now 25 years old. Many good meals have been set on that table. We all enjoyed sitting around the table. My husband and his friends played cards on it.

When Judy started to walk she would get her baby books, put them under her arm and come to my bedroom and she would say, “Read, Nana, read.” I read all the baby books to her. When I was too busy I would tell Judy her mommy wanted her!

When Judy was almost two years old, John and Rosemarie were blessed with a little baby girl. They named her Joanne. She was as cute as a button. Judy began to talk. She said to me, “You don't love me anymore, because you have another grandchild.”

I said to Judy, “You are Pop-Pop's and my first grandchild. We will be blessed with many grandchildren. Pop-Pop and I will love them all, but since you are the first you will always be a little special. We just want you to learn to love all your cousins.”