Grandparents Day a Call to Serve as Much as a Day to Remember

When I was a less-wise high school student, I remember being asked how my grandmother was a teacher in my life.

My answer, I'm ashamed to say, was that I didn't think she was a teacher for me. I had lived 140 miles from her, and my short and sweet answer was that "she just talks to us about the 'old days.'"

My teacher was appropriately unimpressed with my answer, and said, "that's exactly why she is a teacher in your life!"

Knowing far more now, I tip my hat to both of my grandparents, who raised 10 children on a farm in Portage County to be independent, strong adults, who in turn raised 39 grandchildren to be the same. Those talks about the 'old days' was their testimony to living and thriving during the depression, maintaining family and farm and now serve as my model for persevering, joyfully.

Not just a 'Hallmark holiday'

While some may think a National Grandparents' Day, which will be observed on Sunday, Sept. 9, is basically a Hallmark holiday, the reason for it is far more noble than that.

Marian McQuade was a housewife in Fayette County, WV whose "primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes," according to the National Grandparents' Day website.

I should have gotten to know her in my high school days, as she also hoped to persuade grandchildren to "tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide."

The official naming of the day, which is celebrated every year on the Sunday after Labor day, came under President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Memories of grandparents

Wendy Gajewski, a Patch reader, added her story of her grandmother as well.

"I treasure every day my Grandmother of 95 young is healthy and able to take care of her own home... She has been a great inspiration in my life and I love her dearly. So here's to Grandma Tourdot of Reedsburg, WI, who will always be in my thoughts and Grandpa, who has been gone 22 yrs., you too have helped mold me also to who I am today," she wrote on Facebook.

"At 95 she can tell you all our birthdays, including spouse's, and anniversaries! She LOVES the Green Bay Packer's, Brewer's and Wisconsin Badger's! She is a retired farmer and lives the GOOD life," Gajewski added.

My grandparents have all passed on, my grandma Konkol living until she was 95 with nearly all but one of her 39 grandchildren and about 70-plus great grandchildren in attendance at her funeral. I can say her example, along with that of my other grandma who died when I was only three and whose story of being a single mom in the 1940s still inspires me today, has taught me lessons every day.

I also will take to heart the call to reach out to the elderly, as all of them have such rich histories to share, and great lessons to teach us all.

Happy Grandparents' Day — feel free to add your own photos and who you're honoring!