Gone from our sight, but never our hearts

Today I received the news I have dreaded … my lovely nan of 97 years has died in her care home. Despite her years it was a shock to us all as she was not ill and was just found by her carers  in her room just before lunch.
Throughout my childhood and into adult life my nan was a figure who was always there for me. Even as a baby I used to spend every other Sunday night / Monday with her after my parents and grand-parents regular Sunday evening card games. As I grew older I would spend a week of school holidays with her and my grandad. She would take me out on a train to London or Norwich to go shopping and sight-seeing. Even today when I go to London I still remember my trips with nan and our planning of where we would be going on the Underground.
I used to spend Friday evenings with her and I remember us watching the TV series ‘We’ll meet again’ and we loved it as it told stories of a Suffolk town in WW2 and the interaction with the US Air Force. She used to love to tell me tales of the war and what she did. I think that is where my own interest in that era has come from! We used to go into town early on a Saturday morning to do her ‘little cleaning job’ at some offices before meeting my Uncle for coffee. A quick shopping trip finished with me getting on my bus to go home and nana to hers.
She was a wonderful dressmaker made my wedding dress for me as well as the 4 bridesmaids and I have some fabulous pictures of those. She made  bedding for my sons pram and cot and keeping with family tradition she actually bought the pram for me. So many wonderful memories of her and it’s hard to believe she has gone. However in some ways the nana I knew had gone a few years before with her mind losing track of the time she was in and also who I actually was. That was hard to take as she looked like my nana but she didn’t know who I was.
Nana - you were the best nana ANYONE could ever wish for, and as the carers stated at the home you were always cheerful, smiling and laughing … and that is how I remember you too – never a cross word. Now you are reunited with Grandad and the son you lost last year (but never really knew that because of your mind muddling up time) … I’ll miss you terribly, but I thank you for so many happy wonderful memories. Love you nan x
Irene Ethel De’Ath 28-04-18 – 29-08-15