This year marks 15 years since my beloved maternal grandmother `Grandma Pat (Patricia Giesige) passed. I think of her almost daily and the legacy she built and left. The woman wore many hats. She was a mother to 10, wife, nurse, faithful Catholic, volunteer and friend to many. Now at 40, I’ve come to realize how rich of a life she lived and the impact she left on our family.
If there’s one story that captures here essence it’s this:
First, some context…..she was a person who collected things— well not things exactly, but people (but also things).
Whether a stray cat or neighbor boy, she took them under her wing. They were often the underdog, those who society forgot, failed or discarded. In the months up to her (sudden) death, she befriended a neighbor boy. He came to her funeral and was visibly beside himself. Could you imagine what kind of a person leaves such an indelible mark on a young child?
Her collection of people and things was impressive and expansive. I am not sure how she could keep track of everyone and important dates like birthdays, but she did. I’ll never forget her trademark system to ensure things were returned to her. She placed return address stickers on items ranging from books to TV remote controls. (Still, to this day, I’m not sure why the latter commanded a label.)
In any case, if there’s one lesson I carry with me it’s the value of presence. She made you feel seen, heard and important. Even when she had a million things to do or places to be, you were the center of her attention. She always had a gleam in her blue eyes that drew you in. (She was the type of person who smiled with her eyes.)
On a related note, she showed up for people. Whether a new baby, wedding, school play or a sad occasion like a funeral, she was an omnipresent fixture in our family’s life. She was the matriarch, the one who always brought people together – even ones from different walks of life. And boy did she have an innate way of celebrating you and your accomplishments and cheering you up when life didn’t go your way.
Speaking of misfortune, I’ll never forget how, at age 80, she traveled down to Alabama in a hot bus of fellow church people to do hurricane relief. Many her age would have sat on the sidelines, and understandably so. But not Grandma Pat. She was a doer through and through. There’s a reason she made the cut for Citizen of the Year in her hometown of Celina, Ohio.
Whether the Gulf Shores or India, her travels took her far and were the catalysts for forming connections. Despite living in a rural area and coming from modest means, she was cultured beyond measure. She was curious about different cultures and aspired to learn from people who looked differently, worshiped different gods, and whose diets were unlike hers. It’s no surprise that one time in my early 20s, she gave me some unsolicited advice: “go see the world.”
One thing’s for certain: she made her corner of the world better for many. Grandma Pat’s spirit lives on in a freshly baked molasses cookie, Dove chocolates, cup of coffee with Irish Cream, and words of affirmation.
We all need a Grandma Pat in our lives. My wish for you is that you have someone who’s even half as good.
Author: Lauren Caggiano
Lauren is a journalist, copywriter, and editor based in the Midwest. On a personal note, she’s a recent breast cancer survivor. She’s open to sharing perspectives over coffee (or Zoom).
Her website is www.lovewriteon.com.
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