Eulogy of Eleanor Majerus
Written by Linda Streiff
Grandma died just days before her 93rd birthday—93 years-can you imagine what her life was like? She has seen wars and times of peace. She saw depressions and good times in the economy. She saw inventions and lifestyle changes that with each decade became more and more impressive—telephones, cars, airplanes, microwave ovens, computers and television. She saw man walk on the moon. What a lot of life experience that was.
Grandma also had sadness in her life. She saw the death of her parents, and passing of siblings. She lost a husband, she lost a son. But she also had great happiness. She saw her children grow up and give her grandchildren. She saw those grandchildren grow up and give her great grandchildren. And she was very lucky to see those great grandchildren grow to adulthood and give her great, great grandchildren. How remarkable is that? Most of us will never get to see our great grandchildren, never mind being blessed in seeing our great, great grandchildren.
So when we think of grandma what comes to our mind? How would we describe her to those who may not have known her?
She was a seamstress. The sewing machine was always set up in front of the dining room window. She made dresses, drapes, wedding dresses and quilts. People came from different communities to bring her mending such as replacing jean zippers, shortening pants, and altering dresses—she did it all.
She was a religious person. She gave of herself to her church and her diocese. She was very involved in CCW—the Catholic women’s organization. When something was going on at the church she volunteered to help. I remember when we were little going to daily mass at the old St Peters Church. In the evening after supper we would say the rosary—and I remember how we had to kneel to pray it.
She was an avid Twins and Vikings fan. Grandma did not watch much TV unless a sports event was on. Each spring she would continue to pester people to get her the Twins TV schedule and that would lie on top of her TV. She had her homer hanky—even if the opportunity did not present itself very often to use it! When she would get a new roommate at the nursing home she would introduce that roommate to the game and explain what was going on with the game. During one of her last moments, Matthew sat next to her and told her that the Vikings had blown it again. She turned her head and gave him a little smile as if to say “what are you going do?”
Grandma loved to travel and took full advantage of all that was available to her. She traveled extensively throughout the United States. She has traveled to Europe and Alaska. She would travel to New York and Michigan at Christmas time to visit family members. Her motto was “have car will travel”—and she did. And she would get new cars. One of the saddest times in her life was when she no longer able to drive.
She was a cook and a baker. Imagine all the meals that she prepared in that tiny kitchen with very little counter top to work on. It would drive most of crazy to have so little room to work with. And do you remember the flour bin? Who uses that much flour? She would have ground cherries sitting on the counter and would make ground cherry pies—something not many people have heard of. We have heard of her baked beans and buns. And some things she did a little differently. Easy bean soup to her was not to open a can of Campbell’s bean soup but rather pork and beans in tomato soup. Not her best recipe! And instead of making cut out round molasses cookies like our mom she would roll the molasses dough out and then just cut them into squares—although she did sprinkle sugar on top—remember that? And while the rest of us put things into the refrigerator—she always put food into the Frididaire!
She was a social person. She had her card parties and her literary club. But has anyone ever seen her read a book for literary club?? If someone asked her to go someplace she would pause and say “yes, I suppose I could go” and then be immediately ready. She continued to go to her mail carrier dinners keeping up with her old friendships.
Grandma loved to dance whether it was her sons taking her around the dance floor doing a waltz or a polka Or dancing a rock and roll number with a 6 year old great grandson at a wedding dance.
She was a gardener. She grew flowers and vegetables. And she would can tomatoes and pickles and many of us were recipients of the canning events. And – the Kohl Rabi—ymmm-she knew we all love it and would come bearing some when she visited. She had her African Violets that she grew in the kitchen. And they would thrive. Some of us were the recipients of these violets—and they would shrivel for us in days.
She was a babysitter. When her grandchildren came into the world, she would travel to her children’s home and step into the role of homemaker – preparing meals and making sure that households still continue to run. She would care for the older children while they awaited the return of their mother with a new brother or sister.
We remember Grandma for the little things—Doublemint gum, her beautiful penmanship that continued even up through her later years. We remember the buffet filled with circus peanuts and orange slices and chocolate drop candies. We remember her little ceramic Christmas tree. Lives are full of the little memories.
Grandma was a lucky woman. She had a rich and full life that many people envied and coveted.
Don’t let her passing be a time for sorrow. Let her passing be a time for rejoicing for a life well lived. She leaves many memories and a legacy that will continue grow and multiply. Honor her life by living your life to the fullest.
Written by Linda Streiff
Grandma died just days before her 93rd birthday—93 years-can you imagine what her life was like? She has seen wars and times of peace. She saw depressions and good times in the economy. She saw inventions and lifestyle changes that with each decade became more and more impressive—telephones, cars, airplanes, microwave ovens, computers and television. She saw man walk on the moon. What a lot of life experience that was.
Grandma also had sadness in her life. She saw the death of her parents, and passing of siblings. She lost a husband, she lost a son. But she also had great happiness. She saw her children grow up and give her grandchildren. She saw those grandchildren grow up and give her great grandchildren. And she was very lucky to see those great grandchildren grow to adulthood and give her great, great grandchildren. How remarkable is that? Most of us will never get to see our great grandchildren, never mind being blessed in seeing our great, great grandchildren.
So when we think of grandma what comes to our mind? How would we describe her to those who may not have known her?
She was a seamstress. The sewing machine was always set up in front of the dining room window. She made dresses, drapes, wedding dresses and quilts. People came from different communities to bring her mending such as replacing jean zippers, shortening pants, and altering dresses—she did it all.
She was a religious person. She gave of herself to her church and her diocese. She was very involved in CCW—the Catholic women’s organization. When something was going on at the church she volunteered to help. I remember when we were little going to daily mass at the old St Peters Church. In the evening after supper we would say the rosary—and I remember how we had to kneel to pray it.
She was an avid Twins and Vikings fan. Grandma did not watch much TV unless a sports event was on. Each spring she would continue to pester people to get her the Twins TV schedule and that would lie on top of her TV. She had her homer hanky—even if the opportunity did not present itself very often to use it! When she would get a new roommate at the nursing home she would introduce that roommate to the game and explain what was going on with the game. During one of her last moments, Matthew sat next to her and told her that the Vikings had blown it again. She turned her head and gave him a little smile as if to say “what are you going do?”
Grandma loved to travel and took full advantage of all that was available to her. She traveled extensively throughout the United States. She has traveled to Europe and Alaska. She would travel to New York and Michigan at Christmas time to visit family members. Her motto was “have car will travel”—and she did. And she would get new cars. One of the saddest times in her life was when she no longer able to drive.
She was a cook and a baker. Imagine all the meals that she prepared in that tiny kitchen with very little counter top to work on. It would drive most of crazy to have so little room to work with. And do you remember the flour bin? Who uses that much flour? She would have ground cherries sitting on the counter and would make ground cherry pies—something not many people have heard of. We have heard of her baked beans and buns. And some things she did a little differently. Easy bean soup to her was not to open a can of Campbell’s bean soup but rather pork and beans in tomato soup. Not her best recipe! And instead of making cut out round molasses cookies like our mom she would roll the molasses dough out and then just cut them into squares—although she did sprinkle sugar on top—remember that? And while the rest of us put things into the refrigerator—she always put food into the Frididaire!
She was a social person. She had her card parties and her literary club. But has anyone ever seen her read a book for literary club?? If someone asked her to go someplace she would pause and say “yes, I suppose I could go” and then be immediately ready. She continued to go to her mail carrier dinners keeping up with her old friendships.
Grandma loved to dance whether it was her sons taking her around the dance floor doing a waltz or a polka Or dancing a rock and roll number with a 6 year old great grandson at a wedding dance.
She was a gardener. She grew flowers and vegetables. And she would can tomatoes and pickles and many of us were recipients of the canning events. And – the Kohl Rabi—ymmm-she knew we all love it and would come bearing some when she visited. She had her African Violets that she grew in the kitchen. And they would thrive. Some of us were the recipients of these violets—and they would shrivel for us in days.
She was a babysitter. When her grandchildren came into the world, she would travel to her children’s home and step into the role of homemaker – preparing meals and making sure that households still continue to run. She would care for the older children while they awaited the return of their mother with a new brother or sister.
We remember Grandma for the little things—Doublemint gum, her beautiful penmanship that continued even up through her later years. We remember the buffet filled with circus peanuts and orange slices and chocolate drop candies. We remember her little ceramic Christmas tree. Lives are full of the little memories.
Grandma was a lucky woman. She had a rich and full life that many people envied and coveted.
Don’t let her passing be a time for sorrow. Let her passing be a time for rejoicing for a life well lived. She leaves many memories and a legacy that will continue grow and multiply. Honor her life by living your life to the fullest.
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