Memories of Grandma Tonks

Memories of Grandma Tonks

Compiled by a grand-daughter – Gwen Dickson Rich

Our Grandma Tonks is the sweetest Grandma in the world.  We, her grandchildren were so very lucky to have her for as long as we did. Over the past few days we have put down in words our feelings and remembrances about our sweet little Grandma.  We would like to share them with you now.

Grandma loved visitors – especially her grandkids.  All of us grew up believing we had “sweet little hearts” because as Susan, her oldest grand-daughter said, “Grandma was always saying, “Bless your sweet little heart”.

Candy remembers snapping beans out on the back porch during her stays on the weekends in the summer.  Even if you were working, it was fun just to be with Grandma.

Sleeping over at Grandpa and Grandma Tonks’ was always a special treat.  In the mornings, Laurie remembers Grandma singing and humming as she did her work -  it was the greatest thing to wake up to.

Heidi, Russell, and Kimberly remember jeep rides up to Little Grove, home-baked bread, and family dinners with Grandma there in her apron, ready to feed us all.

David loves Grandma’s smile and wink, and Danny remembers her laugh.  Even when Grandma was done laughing, she still had the look of laughter on her face, and he can see this in his mother Jolene also.

Walking down Grandma’s long sidewalk, and looking for her through the kitchen window was always special.  Stephen remembers standing on the ledge outside of the window when he was small.  If you held on really tight to the windowsill, you could peek in and see Grandma, and she was always there.

One day Grandma took Troy down by the river fishing – just the two of them.  He doesn’t remember if they caught any fish that day, but he does remember being together and her taking some time with him – one on one.

Richard loved smelling the homemade bread when he woke up in the mornings after sleeping over when he was little, and of reading her journals and looking at the photo albums.   As he got older and would go hunting for deer in the hills, he would always stop by after he was done.  Grandma would always tell him to “Come out sooner, I’ve been worrying about you” and “Did you get one?”

In Grandma’s back bedroom, there is a shelf above the window covered with trinkets and figurines.  Mary Ann remembers getting to choose one for her very own – Grandma was a very unselfish person and always ready to share what she had.

Michael, Aaron,  & Carol won’t forget the Homemade bread and cinnamon rolls, Franco American Spaghettio’s, oatmeal cookies, family picnics, going fishing  – We all have these special memories of Grandma. 

Grandma was a lunch lady for a few years at Morgan Elementary.  Those of us who lived in Morgan were able to see her every morning before school when we would poke our heads in to say Hi, and then again in the lunch line during lunch !  She always had time to stop and give us a kiss on the cheek, and slip us an extra cookie.

Grandma loved to write, whether it was in her journal everyday, or letters to her family and friends.   Nicole Tonks her great-grand daughter started writing Grandma when she was 11 years old, and was thrilled when Grandma wrote back !!  They wrote back and forth for 3 years, and I don’t know who was more excited, Nicole or Grandma, when they would receive each other’s letters.  If you ever got a card or letter from Grandma, you would treasure it forever.  She always asked about our dear husbands or wives, and our sweet children.  Grandma’s love was unconditional and we never doubted it for a minute.

Gwen remembers playing in the big barn up at Round Valley.  Uncle Lewis and Grandpa Tonks didn’t always want us up there, because “We would scare the sheep” -  but Grandma always let us do pretty much what we wanted (so we’d be sure to ask her).  Whether it was climbing the big box-elder tree in the back yard, playing in the orchard, or hiking up on the hills collecting snail shells – it was always fun at Grandma’s house.

How many of you remember Nightmare Theatre that came on every Friday night at 10:30 p.m. right after the news?  We never got to watch it at our house, but you can bet if we were sleeping over at Grandmas on a Friday, she was right there beside us, curled up on the couch in blankets – watching it with us !!

Erika – spent A LOT of time with Grandpa and Grandma Tonks. She remembers dancing with Grandma while dusting the living room.    Grandma loved to dance.  She would always put on her "Ray Coniff - Somewhere My Love" album, or her "Magic Organ" album and dance.  When Erika would sleep over at Grandmas, she first slept on a little bed, by the side of Grandma’s bed, until she graduated to the big bed in the back bedroom!  Grandma always had Erika scratch her back before they went to sleep.

Our Grandma Tonks was a short little lady and we loved it!  When you got to be about 9 or 10 years old, the thing to do was start measuring up with Grandma !!  It was always so exciting when you got to be taller than she was !!  Every one seemed to eventually reach this point except Erika.  Everyone who asks Erika why she’s so short says, "Your parents aren't particularly short, what happened to you!?"  She just replies, "You haven't seen my Grandma, have you?"

 When Mark was in high school he worked at Round Valley golf course where he watered the golf course in the afternoons and evenings during the summer.  Almost every night after it would get dark he would visit Grandma and Grandpa in between water settings.  These visits became a part of his nightly routine. Grandma would always offer to fix him something to eat and was very concerned that he wasn't getting too cold or too wet.  Most nights they would just sit and visit and it became something he really looked forward to. 

Since moving back to Morgan it has been a blessing to Mark to see his children get to know Grandma and to visit her just like he did as a child.  Just last month while visiting Grandma on Mother's Day they climbed the tree, peeked in the cupboards, played with the worn out yellow and red wooden dominos and peered down the stairway into the dark basement, all in less than an hour.  How wonderful it is that these same memories have been passed down to another generation of grandkids.

Brett spent many weekends and weeks during the summer with Grandpa and Grandma.  He always enjoyed getting out of the city and spending time on the farm.  Grandma would spoil him rotten (his words – not mine !).  He remembers Grandma taking him and my sister Tonya to the County Fair every summer.  It was lots of fun – but he’s sure they must have worn Grandma out.

Casey remembers that Grandma was always there for everyone, and was always willing to help with anything, AND she was always ready to feed him !!

The youngest grandchild in the family is Stormy.  Oh how Grandma and Grandpa loved to have her visit and stay with them. Stormy will always remember singing, reading, and saying nursery rhymes with Grandma – she was one in a million.

Our Grandma was always excited when we would come to visit.  She never wanted us to go.  She loved to fuss over the kids.  As you would leave, she would always be waving out her kitchen window, and as we drove down the street we would see her again at her living room window still waving good-bye, this we will miss most of all.

Grandma had an undying love for Grandpa and she missed him so much. She would often say that she wished he would just walk through the door to talk for a little while.  We are so grateful that they are together once again. 

We are so fortunate to have had the love of our Grandparents in our lives.  I hope and pray we can carry on their legacy of unconditional love in our own families.  This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ – Amen.