My grannie Annie

So today I want to tell you about my Grams.
Anne Tully Montgomery. Born December 9, 1925, in Banff Alberta. A mountain girl through and through. She grew up next to St George in the Pines church where her daddy was minister, and got to meet all sorts of visitors from all over the world who came to visit the small picture-esk town. Growing up my grams played classical piano, and enjoyed school and cross country skiing. I've seen many photos of my grams and her sissy layered in 4 or 5 stockings under their skirt and a long petty coat, strapped to a pair of x-counrty skis, she never wore 'slacks' until she was in her 30's I think, even in -40 degrees, she was one tough girl. She lived through the war, meeting military from all over the world, even had a fairytale love with a man from Australia, who tragically died in a plane crash. Luckily for me she went on to meet my grandfather, and have 6 children, 15 grand children and 9 great grand children. My grams was a firm believer that you divorce people, and not family, so when my aunt and my mama went through a divorce, the x-es continued calling her mum as she insisted and she still loved them like her own. She even took Joy under her warm welcoming wing, and she was the child of grandpa's second wife. We learned by example to be grateful for the small things, to be inclusive, to be generous with our hearts, to never take yourself too serious, and to forgive quickly because life is just too short to be angry at someone else.

My Grams decided two weeks ago that she was done so she stuck around just long enough for the family to show up say there good-byes and we sent her off knowing that she was loved. It is so typical of my Grams that once she decided she was going to do something, she did it, and did it well. She lived her life like that, and she died that way, all her ducks in a row, funeral already bought and paid for, quick, no mess, just done. Even in death she is giving by donating her body.

Grams died early Wednesday morning after a few weeks of intense pain and finally organ failure took her in the end. As sad as I am to see her pass, I'm relieved that she isn't in pain anymore, and that she can finally be at peace.

Until the last 2 weeks she was so alert, kicking my ass at cribbage, cracking jokes, bragging about all her great grand babies and making everyone smile.

I can't believe she's gone