‘Grandmammy’ gave unconditional love

Isabelle Blessina Superville died November 8 at the age of 105 years. Her funeral was November 14 at the Catholic Church in Mamoral. Granddaughter Quita Superville did the following eulogy.

Welcome to the celebration of the life of our granny! We are celebrating Isabelle Blessina Superville, the 105 years she gracefully spent fulfilling God’s purpose which was bestowed on her.

I keep thinking, how do I eulogise someone who lived for 105 years? Do I start from her birth and work my way up? Then we would all be here till next week!

Do I talk about how she lived through the days of candlelight, fireside cooking and flambeau, to the invention of microwaves, telephones and modern technology?

Or, I can stand here and talk about how granny was a gem. How she was kind, loving, caring and sweet but we all know that and that’s why we are all here because she would have touched each and everyone here in her special way.

So, for me today, I would just highlight some fond memories.

‘Issa’, ‘Zabeth’, and ‘Bella’ were just a few names her grandchildren would call her and she would answer to all, but most common to everyone was ‘Grandmammy’.

A wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, aunt, friend, and neighbour, Grandmammy adjusted to her many roles in the most unique and special ways and those roles were all rooted in unconditional love.

A faithful servant of God, she taught us to love God and family so we all understand the importance of having a relationship with the Creator through her living example.

Looking back at the days growing up in an extended family household, Grandmammy spent a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. If you were asleep she would wake you up to eat and I can’t recall a time when she said she was ever tired of cooking or not feeling to cook.

The icy-hot was always full with black coffee on the table and be sure that any unexpected guest was sure to be fed since she always believed in cooking plenty!

To this day, some of us have trouble catering for our much smaller families, so that we too always have extra to offer a meal to unexpected guests.

Zabeth loved to dress and look nice, with her toenails painted in red; she only liked red. When she was dressed and you complimented her, you were sure to see that blush and smile especially when we called her ‘Lady Chancellor’ from The Young and the Restless.

Whenever granny wanted to make her point in conversation, one of her famous lines was “common sense was there before books”.

Isabelle Blessina, my granny loved to cook, bake and even in her older days when she became somewhat restricted in her movement, she still wanted to feel independent and do things for herself. She liked taking charge. The boss she was indeed, sometimes head strong but witty, caring, loving, kind, loved to share and was focused on family.

I can truly say that one or more of granny’s traits are embedded in all of us.

Bella has left us with so many memories that I know we will all treasure for a lifetime. She will live on in all our hearts.

Grandmammy, we love you. We will miss you but today I thank Almighty God again for blessing this family and the world with your presence.

Sleep in Paradise, Blessina! I will always love you granny.