Irene Rushton Jefferies 1915-2010

Since I was 19 years old...I've only had one living grandparent. My mom's parents lived in Minnesota, so I only saw them a few times in my life. I've heard lots of stories, so I feel like I know them somewhat...but the grandparent I know best is my grandma Irene Rushton Jefferies. She would always tell us she liked to be called "Grandmother" and our Grandpa she wanted us to call him "Grandad"....but usually we said "Grandma and Grandpa Jefferies" and then later in life I think Amber got us calling her "Grams". Such obedient Grandkids, huh? Oops! So forever more...she'll be GRAMS.

Here she is in her younger days. Probably the way my dad would remember her as a kid. She looks like a different person to me. I guess my kids and grandkids will say that one day too. It's kinda funny how much people change. I find myself looking at old people and try to imagine what they looked like and what they were like. You know, were they cool? Nerds? Some are so sweet and gentle and others act so entitled and grouchy! Lol...that's another post for another day. I am thinking now about Grams....and how much I miss her!

 

"Grams" father passed away in a hospital after an explosion when she was only 3 1/2 years old.

Exactly 2 weeks later her little sister Lucille passed away she was only 7 months old...This left her mother with 9 children & 2 months pregnant with her 11th child. Can you imagine? The picture below is the children standing around their father's grave. How heart wrenching is that? What a strong woman my great grandmother had to be! I never met her....but my grams really loved her! Infact, her last days while she was alive she cried for her mom! She must have been a special lady! She's someone I look forward to meeting in the next life. :)

 

My sister Amber is the gem in the family that really took care of Grams. She put up all these pictures on her facebook and I had to copy some of them to remember things about my grandma. Honestly, I learned alot from these. They're priceless. Thanks Amber for knowing the history of Grams and letting us share in all your hard work and effort!
Irene was 8th of 11 children born to Lewis James & Julia Caroline Rushton....Being the youngest living girl she grew up mostly surrounded with her 3 brothers Sam, Sylvester, & Lewis... Grams told us stories of how she could hold her own with them as long as she could get on the bed & use her legs to defend herself...Even in her last days she would ward off people who she thought were trying to hurt her with them*

 

Grandma and Grandpa eloped....apparently she just ran in the house and got the ring and they were off to get married.

 

Her mother was only 50 years old...and died of something that could of been curred with antibiotics these days...Grams was months away from turning 19 when she lost her mom!

 

I think every kid loves to see pictures of their own parents being kids. I think it's fun to see the backgrounds for one. The old fashioned cars and the clothes they were wearing. Their hairstyles, etc.....I think my dad looks especially handsome sitting on the couch with his BYU lettermen's jacket. He wrestled for BYU. But now as a mom, I can't believe how much Mason looks like my dad when he was a kid. I had so much fun looking at the pictures again from a mom's perspective. Incredible those family genes!

 

These pictures are the ones that I remember Grandma and Grandpa looking like. I remember the spunky, funny lady and the way the two would banter back and forth. Grandpa was a carpenter. He built their home. He also raised rabbits and took them to shows. Good ole gramps...when we would go up to visit, we would go out and help grandpa feed the rabbits. We would remark about the poop and the smell, but for some reason, we just loved them and talked our parents into getting some rabbits for our yard too! IT was all fun and games until we started eating "bunny burger"...well, I guess that's all I'll say about that!

 

Well, on Mother's Day last year, Grams tried to get out of bed by herself and fell pretty hard. She hit her head a good one and hurt her hip also. Grams was never the same after this! She was definitely a fighter! She tried hard to get better. There were days that we saw the Grams we knew and other days that she wasn't herself. The last time we got to see her was in July when we came up for a visit. We made a few more sweet memories with her before we left.

The man standing next to Grams is Ron....can't think of his last name right now. Maybe Daniels? Anyway, he is a one of kind guy. He is NOT related to us, but acted more like a son to her than a friend. He helped her with her house, took care of her garden, took her to the doctor, etc........unbelievable! We say he's an angel!

 

One of my favorite memories from these last few years was Grams love for CORN on THe Cob! Mercy, I have never seen anyone like corn the way she did! Poor Grams had false teeth, but she was determined to eat that corn off the cob and not have it cut! She would hardly eat for the people at the rehab place, but when we would come to visit she would ask "You got any corn?" Grams was a great pie maker. In fact, she taught me to make Lemon Meringue Pie......a MUST at Thanksgiving for me! I love the taste and the memories too! She was also a fantastic candy maker! Fudge, caramels, turtles, peanut brittle, choc. covered cherries, and MY personal favorite, Toffee! She was a friend to everyone. Very fun and spirited. Kinda fiesty and sarcastic but a huge heart. Everyone loved Grams. Oh and she LOVED to garden! She had an acre and a half in her back yard. She was known as the Tomato Lady. She would pick the tomatoes and put them in front of her house by the road and people would come and buy them and drop some money in a can. Dad even had a tomato plant for one of her bouquets. That was a little random...but hey, we like to do stuff in a different kind of way sometimes.....

The other picture with her headphones on is a cute one to me. Grams loved music! Here she looks so content to be listening to her Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She looks angelic!

 

I love the picture with Amber and Grams. Amber was more like a daughter to her than a grandaughter. She took care of her for several years by going up to see her, taking her to doctor appts and to visit her siblings. The last months of her life, Amber had Grams come and stay with her. She really loved Amber. THey had a special relationship.

Well, all good things must come to an end. Grams lived a good 95 years. We will sure miss her here, but look forward to seeing her after this life! We love you Grams! She was layed to rest next to my Grandpa in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

We were missing our two youngest brothers...they were in California, but the 5 of us sure had a fun time spending time together. We all live kind of spread out...so I have to say it was a really enjoyable funeral. Maybe it's cuz we knew Grandma had lived a good long life and was ready to go. Maybe it's cuz it was a reunion. I don't know, but I really had fun.
Oh and I almost forgot to say that I was able to do her hair for the funeral. That was a first time experience for me. Mom, Amber, Autumn and I were able to go to the funeral home and dress her and I did her hair. It was a special experience to be there by ourselves with her. We felt like we got our own special time with her before everyone else would come to pay their respects.

 

Here are our cousins. We only have 7! Can you believe that? My dad has one sister and one brother. Diane has 4 kids and Gene has 3 kids. My mom has one brother....but he never married. So there you have it....our not so big extended family!