After living a long and happy 103 years, my Grandmother Jerda passed away quietly after her breakfast on 08/02/2012.
She succumbed to pneumonia and passed in relative peace.
My Grandma Jerda was everything a grandmother should be. She crocheted with skill and beauty, she had lovely flowers in her garden and indoors she grew African Violets with ease.
There were always homemade cookies in her kitchen (with emergency back-up reserves in the freezer, just in case!)
She made the very best divinity candy that was light as a cloud and would melt on your tongue.
While staying with her during my childhood summer vacation breaks, she always had spare change for a DQ ice cream cone or A&W root beer. The A&W was just a block from her house and sometimes I would run get us a root beer to enjoy while we watched Lawrence Welk, one of her favorite shows. Other nights we would walk hand in hand together "up-town" to see a movie at the old-fashioned, single screen theater.
My grandmother was always happy and smiling. I can never, ever remember her being cross. She was widowed at a young age and it brings me great peace and pleasure to know she is finally together again with my Grandpa Klund!
Through their love a family grew that now exceeds 100 members and continues to grow and thrive. Grandma Jerda was well loved and is dearly missed. Her most important legacy was the proof she offered of the limitless capacity of a mother's love. Every one of us children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on felt her unique love for us as individuals. Rest in peace Gram, your love will live on in our hearts forever.
