Celebrating Josephine Lucille Curtis Gaskill

Vincent and Josephine Gaskill's Wedding Photo (June 12, 1935)
My Grandma made her own wedding dress.

Not many people live to be 100 years old, but my grandma did. I loved hearing her talk about her childhood. She used to tell us about how she rode her horse and buggy to school. How she got her teacher's certificate and taught in a one room schoolhouse before she was married. How one of her sister's got a cut on her foot while walking barefoot in their family's pond. Her wound got infected and sadly she ended up dying as this was before the discovery of penicillin. Grandma had seen so much in her lifetime from telephones to cell phones, from TVs to DVD players to computers. What amazing things she had seen. My grandma was a quiet lady, who lived by example. She was a strong lady, both physically and mentally. I am most thankful for the strong Christian legacy she has left behind. Who knows where I would be now without her example? She will be missed.

Our family was very involved in Grandma's funeral. My siblings, my cousins, my girls and I all sang a song that we had sung at our grandpa's funeral 10 years ago. Unfortunately I can't remember what it is called? My cousin, Dee Dee, played the flute. Another cousin, Darin, sang a solo and my Aunt Joanne played the piano for the service. Other people got up and told memories of grandma including my dad, Sue; my uncle, Rod; my brother, Dave; and my brother-in-law, Dan. Dan had one memory that I had forgotten about. He told about how whenever my grandma greeted people she used to hold their face between her hands and then kiss them right on the lips. That was totally my grandma! He said that she did that to him the very first time he met her, which took him by surprise. How funny! It was a very special service, other than the fact that the pastor could not seem to remember my grandma's name. Can you believe it? She called my grandma Florence 70% of the service, which was really annoying. The pastor caught herself after about the 5th time, but then continued to alternate between calling her Florence and Josephine the rest of the service. The pastor even called her Florence when blessing the casket and giving my grandma back to Jesus. Good thing He knows her name!!!

Some of my siblings: Dave Wheeler, Debi, Me, Sue, Dad, Dave Gaskill, and Rick.

My sister, Debi, and brothers, Dave and Rick.

Cousins

We had a nice time visiting with family during the visitation and funeral. Debi's family and Rick and his wife, Krystal, all traveled back home from Colorado. My dad and Sue made it back from Arizona and we of course made it back from Michigan. Dad and Sue got us all hotel rooms on Friday night in Manchester, where my oldest brother Dave lives. That gave us all more time to visit between the visitation Friday evening and the funeral Saturday morning. It isn't often that all of my dad's kids are together, the last time was 10 years ago when our grandpa died. We really enjoyed that time together as a family. Thanks again Dad and Sue. I love you all!