This was my
Grandmother's name, Mrs. Bernice Hoover. I say it was her name because in
October of 2000, my
grandmother died.
I'm not a doctor, nor do I know anything
medical, but she died of some sort of
lukemia. Before she died
she took various medications, finally she was started on
chemotherapy. All
her hair fell out and my family bought her a
wig. Just as the
placebo started working, she went into the
hospital never to emerge alive.
While she was alive she managed to do almost everything. Basically, she is
my inspiration to do everything that I do. She was born in 1917, went to
college at
Juniata in 1925, went to
graduate school at
Syracuse and the
University of Pittsburgh. May I remind you that
most women didn't attend college at this time, let alone
graduate school. During her life she taught the
blind and the
deaf, rose a family,
taught school, taught
Sunday School, visited prisoners in a local prison to share
the Lord's Good News, and took pride in everything that her
offspring did.
You see, my grandma had six grandchildren. Each one of us were "
As good as gold" as she used to say. We could do no wrong.
This present school year will be my last, as I
graduate in a few weeks. For
my entire high school career, my grandma would talk to me about
my classes, she'd ask me about my
college choices. She told me that her only wish was to see me
grow up. Unfortuantely, she died before I was
accepted to a college. Now that I have been accepted, there is any
empty feeling inside of me. Although my grandma will still see me attend college (I know she has to have a place in
heaven),
she died not knowing how my life would progress.