A Letter From Grandma
Today would have been my Grandma, Shirli Hunt’s 95th birthday.
She passed away two years ago and lived an amazingly wonderful life. Losing her was heartbreaking for everyone in my family, and for the hundreds of people whose lives she impacted over the years.
From as far back as I can remember, her love for everyone, her kindness and her spirit was always something I admired and did my best to emulate. She was a giver who always listened without judgment and offered wisdom whenever she could.
On her 90th birthday, she wrote me a letter. This is what it said.
My Darling Mandy,
This, my 90th year, welcomes the thousands of memories that are filled with God’s immeasurable goodness! Even with the crushing loss of an amazingly honorable man, my father, who died at such a young 37 years—to my much-loved brother, Chuck, who so willingly died for our freedom! Who at 18 prepared me for the fact that “sometimes our soldiers don’t return home,” but as he continued, “Everybody has to die, but to die for your country was a great honor” … he truly believed that! Such good men surrounded me—and today, our family is blessed with such good, good honorable men!
My darling granddaughter, you have such a heritage of strong, sometimes fearless women—from my Father’s side of Wingham and my Mother’s side of Davis…Some of these women helped settle America in the 1700s. (Their men fought in the American Revolution). My Father’s Mother came from Scotland, raised 6 children and helped settle the Marcus-Colville area in Northeast Washington State. The Hopkins-Davis side left wealth and position to come West with her two teenage children. She bought sight-unseen lands determined to start a new life!
Then there’s Nana, my Mother (Dottie) married at 16—widowed at 35. Never ever had worked outside her home, but endowed with that same strength and determination of all the other ladies in our family, sallied forth in the workforce and became the “top” cosmetician at Fredrick and Nelson’s! Dottie found another fabulous love with Donald, who was 8 years younger, and they shared 56 rich, fulfilling years together!
What I have learned from having the tremendous privilege of knowing most of these remarkable people is that—nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible! Nothing is wasted… and the Scripture, “I can do ALL things—through Christ”—is true! Life truly does become an adventure—full of the totally unexpected—rich and intent upon your fulfilling God’s amazing plans for You!
Sometimes I’ve laughed out loud over God’s unbelievable sense of humor! Sometimes, I’ve muttered, “You’ve gotta be kidding!”…. But in every instance, there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt that God’s Hand was over me—over our family! When You are trusting in the faithfulness of a Loving God—everything becomes a Possibility! (and) that Possibility is designed for God’s “upgrade”… The many circumstances in your life can make You stronger—more useful!
Find some favorite Scripture and carry them close to your heart—and “claim” them—because they are God’s promises! Another message I heard that tickled me…. “Circumstances are not the problem—it’s our perception of them—that’s the problem!” Another one: “You don’t win if You think you can’t!” “ You look at problems (through Christ).
EVERY situation has to take You somewhere with Christ! Every problem has God’s provision attached to it! We need to trust! We need to thank! We need to praise! The KEY to life is a life of Praise and Thanksgiving! Know that you have been equipped, through your Faith. Whatever the enemy might try to do—the Lord can overturn! It’s true—All of your circumstances will make you stronger! And far more useful!
There is no way, no matter how I so dearly love You, that I can save you from life’s challenges and sometimes even tears. But this I know, those life experiences allow you to become the magnificent woman God has designed You to be! Those valleys are where You learn compassion, wisdom, kindness, self-control and even peace!
Learn to greet Your Loving Father, God, each and every morning! Trust in the leading of Christ and the ever-present Holy Spirit who delights in guiding your Path! It’s the best journey ever! It’s the Greatest Gift I can bequeath to You!
Much! Much! Much! Love to you my dearest Granddaughter!
Her life was a wild one, full of love, loss and the prioritization of others over oneself.
So, if you want to know more, keep reading.
In 1939, my Grandma’s family moved to Spokane, Washington where her father passed away. To help make ends meet, she began working at the Davenport Hotel both at the jewelry counter and as a switchboard operator. My Grandma was always an incredibly hard worker who invested so much of her heart into everything she did.
She also volunteered as a Candy Striper at Sacred Heart Hospital before graduating from Lewis and Clark High School in 1942.
During this time my Grandma, her mother and her brother moved into an apartment where she first met my Grandpa, Jack whose family lived in the apartment directly above—which ended up starting their 74-year romance.
My Grandma and her brother, Chuck
My Grandma’s brother, Chuck, and my Grandpa Jack both ended up serving in WWII. But Chuck never came home, which was a devastating loss for both my Grandma and Great Grandmother. Once my Grandpa came home, he started college at University of Idaho. Despite having a number of interested parties, the only woman my Grandpa was interested in was my Grandma, even though she lived a 1.5 hours away in Spokane.
When he called and invited her (and her Mom/Stepdad because that’s what you did back then) to Homecoming Weekend, she hilariously said, “No, thank you” and hung up. Her mom immediately insisted she call back, apologize and accept—which I’m personally thankful for because otherwise I wouldn’t be here to tell this story. She went to Homecoming, got thrown a lot of shade by a bunch of the sorority girls who were interested in my Grandpa, but since she was a career woman in Spokane, she went to the dance and was completely unbothered.
They got married.
They lived in 3 states.
They had 5 kids.
They had 8 grandkids.
They had 14 great-grandkids.
