Grandma Dunn

Clara Matilda Dunn

"Tillie"

June 19, 1924 - February 21, 2011

My sweet Grandma left this life after a long battle of Alzheimer's Disease on February 21.

The day I got the text was a hard one. You know how you always think you are prepared for that day when you have seen your loved one suffer for so many years, but then it comes and smacks you upside the head? Totally happened to me.

My wise and talented grandma lost her memory about 11 years ago, and when my mom and I visited her back in August I am pretty sure she really didn't even know who we were. I left that trip thinking it really was time for her to go. My grandma would NEVER have wanted to leave that memory and I knew she was probably ready, but I got that text and, again, it hit home.
I cried a lot that day thinking about my precious memories of her.

Late night little Tillie Stories, UNO games, her constant testimony, her purse full of herbs for every ailment (Cayenne is the cure all btw), her bright red lipstick and fingernail polish, her fancy rings, apple juice on her cereal (disgusting, but she loved it), her love for cats, her love for the scriptures, her love for Nature, her love for everyone.

She was the greatest.

She could do anything. She built a cabin from scratch. Fed the homeless. Crocheted countless slippers and hats for her grandkids. Made porcelain dolls. Sewed wedding gowns and blessing dresses. Built a lamp out of recycled pop bottles. Baked bread. Knitted sweaters. Wrote poetry. Painted landscapes. Made wedding veils for department stores.

She was a master at just about everything and no one could tell her she couldn't do something.

My mom's childhood memories of school clothes shopping was going to the mall, picking out her favorite outfits, my grandma taking notes, and then going home to cut out patterns and sew.

It gives me a little hope I may be able to sew a straight line one day.

Waitin on those genes grams.

My Grandma's testimony of the gospel was permeating. She read it, talked it, exemplified it, and lived it. She bore her testimony of Jesus Christ to anyone and everyone she came in contact with.

She lived a very hard life and I believe it gave her the amazing ability to completely love unconditionally. She really loved everyone and when you were with her you kind of thought you were somethin special. Partly because you felt so loved and partly because she told you that you were about 5,000,000,321 times an hour. :)

She was the real deal.

I've missed her for many years, and I miss her even more now.

But I know without a doubt where that little 4'11" woman is at this very moment....
She's home.

My mom spoke at her funeral. She asked if there was anything I really wanted her to say.

I told her that Christ has always been very familiar to me throughout my life, because I knew Grandma.

It's the truth.

Hug him for me Grandma.

I love you.