What I remember about Grandma and Grandpa McIntire: September 2, 2010 Heber Valley Camp Family Reunion:
I first met them on a Sunday afternoon at church in 1960. Yes, Hank, who I was seeing at the time, introduced me to his parents after church services. I think it was a Methodist Church. I noticed how tall Grandma appeared as she had on some very classy high heeled shoes. She wore them much higher than I ever would.
She dressed in a nice suit, and had her hair colored a medium brown. Grandpa was wearing a suit and tie of course, being church day. But he wore a suit to work every day of the week that he commuted to San Bernardino at the time. He worked for the Air Force at the air base there. Grandma worked at Autonetics, in Anaheim.
Even though your dad and I chose to elope, they were always kind and loving toward me. I always felt welcomed and accepted into grandma’s heart. She and I became very close over the next twenty years.
Grandpa was more quiet but had a smile and toothy grin, especially when he would crack a joke or make a teasing comment now and then. He was always busy, working on some project around the house that he finished and made to perfection. He did wood work as a hobby and fixed everything himself, practically in the house.
I remember grandma had an old, old, old, now did I say OLD, Kirby vacuum. He fixed it a gazillion times. That was one thing Grandma Betty never had new. Then when she died, he goes and buys a brand new HOOVER!
Grandma always like to work in her yard, and trim the roses. She would take bouquets of flowers daily to work for her co-workers. I know she brought a lot of sunshine to her colleagues at work, who respected her and who considered her a good friend and confidante.
She was extremely excited to become a grandmother. So, on her birthday in January 21, 1964, we told her we had a present for her, but she would have to wait for it until mid-August. She didn’t guess right away, that we were having a baby after two years of being married.
She was the kind of grandmother she never had, she said. She lost her parents at a young age, and never knew her own grandparents. Grandpa McIntire had lost his parents before they had children, so there were no grandparents to spoil Hank and Mary Beth, the way Grandma and Grandpa Mc did theirs, you guys.
I know some of you feel a little a little left out not having known Grandma McIntrire. But, I know she is very aware of ALL of you and your accomplishments, your joys and sorrows, and what you are going through ALL the time.
I am forever grateful for her kindness, unconditional love and her mentoring me, while she was alive and her influence after she died. I could feel her around us at times and knew she never stopped caring or giving me input on what to do or how to handle different situations.
After many years I had wondered if she still checked in on me or if she still was around to help me through life. It was just a thought like a prayer. That night I had a dream, where she and grandpa came to visit me, from the other side. They came and stayed a little while. We talked as grandpa sat on an overstuffed chair with Kameron on his lap. I turned to grandma and told her to look at how sweet her great-grandson was with his blonde hair and blue eyes. She said, “Yes, I know. I am with you a lot of the time with the family and see and now of their accomplishments, talents and gifts.” She also said, she “knew all of you grandchildren and said she helped prepare them before they were born”.
That idea really did not surprise me, somehow. It gave me peace and comfort to know how much your grandparents, on both sides love you and look after ALL of us. I am very blessed to have all of you and know Heavenly Father’s hands are in my life and the details of all of our lives. I know my Savior lives and is our Redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love, Grandma Mattie
