Fern Elizabeth Jones Eccles -- Born, April 16, 1905

If Grandma Eccles were still alive she would be 103! She died sadly at age 58 of cancer. Some say it was lung cancer -- but I really believe the cancer was just about everywhere in her body.

Grandma Eccles had auburn red hair and freckles, everywhere. Some areas of her arms were like splotches of suntanned skin -- the freckles were so dense. Grandma had a beautiful soprano voice, I loved to sit by her in church and listen to her sing. She also played the piano. Gardening was one of her hobbies as were sewing and cooking. Her fridge was always supplied with a wide variety of Nehi flavored sodas, RC Cola, and other goodies. She always had a cake on the counter -- mostly applesauce cake. Her home at 543 Kensington Ave., was neat and clean with everything in its place. Grandma like to watch "What's My Line" on Sunday nights. If we were lucky, we timed our visitng about the time that show came on television. Her house had a screened front porch. On summer nights we would sit out there and eat grapes (I don't know why I remember that), protected from the mosquitos. I think she liked green and pink -- dominant colors in her house and in her clothes. Just before she died, she and Grandpa bought a pink Oldsmobile. Grandma Eccles was tall for her generation -- about 5'8"-5'9". She always seemed to be dressed up and ready to go somewhere. Even working out in her yard, she wore a dress. In a cabinet next to the kitchen, Grandma kept a collection of miniature glass dishes. She never hesitated to let us get them out and play "tea party" with them.

I was 9 years old when Grandma died. It was early in the morning May 8, 1964. I was laying in bed waiting for my turn to get up and get ready for school (3rd grade). Mom had gone to take Jackie to school (5th and 6th graders were on double sessions at Webster Elementary, and they started at 7:00 a.m. or so.) I heard the phone ring, Dad answered it, and by the tone in his voice I knew it wasn't good news. I stayed in my bed and listened to Dad share the sad news with Mom (when she got back home) that Grandma had died. It was so sad . . . Mom sobbed, and so did I. I lay in bed wishing it wasn't true.

My Grandma Eccles was only in my life for a short time, but in that time I knew she loved me and all of the grandkids. I knew she loved Mom, too. She didn't have much to offer through earthly possessions, but she had a beautiful loving spirit about her that made her very special. She would be so very proud of her great posterity -- especially the number of redheads in the family!