Ellen Weyh 1921-2008

I’ve been in Havre, Montana the past few days. What’s that? You haven’t heard of Havre?! Weird.

Anywho, I went back for my grandmother’s funeral. It was an interesting, and rich, time. My grandma was Catholic- so I got to fully experience the Catholic funeral tradition. The vigil, the cantors, the bowing, the liturgy, the rules. I don’t understand it all, and I definitely think there were some missed opportunities for her life to be celebrated in the Catholic tradition- but there were parts I found beautiful. Though seriously, does everyone have to bow when approaching the altar? I find it hard to believe Jesus isn’t chuckling a little when watching them all bow. But, I digress.

My grandma was a great lady- and an even better grandma. A consistent theme overheard during the services (and informal conversations) was that my grandma was what every grandma probably wants to be- a cheerleader. Never did I ever feel ashamed when I spoke with my grandma. Whether it was my hobbies, my schooling, or my career path- everything was a success in her eyes. She had a steadfast faith in Christ and steadfast faith in our abilities. She showed an unwavering ability to instill confidence in us while pushing us to become Christlike ourselves. Really, when I think about it- that is an amazing characteristic. It is something I’ve always known about her, but only now am I beginning to realize just how powerful her words of support were. I’ll miss those moments of ending a conversation with my grandma feeling fully loved and completely accepted. The most amazing thing about it, was that every one of her grandkids, and great-grandkids, all felt the same way. All 31 of us.