Grace

I just have to share about an old/new friend.  Grace was my typing teacher at Eastridge High School when I was a freshman.  I had her typing class for one semester, I think.  She taught typing and shorthand classes at Eastridge for many years.  She retired when the two high schools combined to make Kankakee High School in the fall 1983. I didn't have her for any other class, nor did I see her around town after she retired. While I was fairly shy in my younger days, I am very much a people person now.  I love running into former teachers and chatting for a few minutes when I am out and about.

Here are the pictures of her from my '81 and '82 Eastridge Yearbooks.

 

One of my co-workers is the chaplain for a local retirement facility.  Late last summer she talked about a couple of residents and that the husband was very sick.  He had been battling cancer for eight years.  Eventually she said the wife's name.  It was Grace!  I asked if she had white hair, glasses, slender build, and so forth.  It was Grace!  She mentioned how Grace and David didn't have any children and David was close to going home to Jesus.  I took a picture of my kids and me from Randy's wedding in June and wrote a note and sent it to Grace through Carol, my co-worker. Grace replied the next week with a note about her and her life.  You know, her handwriting hadn't changed a bit in all those years.  Then, in October, David died.  I found out through Carol that Grace never left his side in the eight years that he had cancer.  They would have meals brought up to their apartment.  She was right there with him through it all.  True love.

I decided that I needed Grace in my life and she needed me.  Well, maybe need is a strong word but we could sure enjoy each other’s company regularly.  Carol provides a church service every other Sunday so I decided that I would visit on the opposite Sundays.  My friend and I go visit at about 2:00 and stay for a couple of hours.  We talk about all kinds of stuff too, movies, books, school, teachers, church, faith, my kids.  She loves movies and loves to read.  I found out that she used to be a counselor at UIC before coming to Kankakee.  She tells us about David and how he left so many journals that she has been reading through.  She is a sharp gal!  We hear about their trips to Italy, Israel, Paris, and Asia.  She has been all over!  We hear stories about how poor she was growing up and how she got oranges for Christmas and that was great!  Grace is a treasure! She loves classical music and orchestras.  We've taken her to hear Olivet's gospel choir, KVSO and KVYSO, as well as other orchestral performances.  We also went to Olive Garden for dinner (since we finally got one in Bradley).   This weekend we will be going to IHOP.  She loves Belgian Waffles.

I hope you enjoy these pictures of Grace.

 

I hope you are all staying cool and staying inside today!

Ciao!