Thursday, March 19, 2009

Breaking the Mold

Randy Itschner died 09/04/2008.

Fay Holmes died 12/03/2008.

Louise Itschner died 03/19/2009.

She was the last of them...all parents and grandparents are gone. I'm tired. I'm also averaging one death every 3 months. I'm a little afraid of June.

My grandmother, Louise Itschner, passed away this morning. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1992 and went to live at a care facility in Kerrville, TX, in 1993. She was clearly a fighter. I believe the average survival is 7-10 years after diagnosis, so she broke the mold.

She always had broken the mold, though, so none of us were too surprised. She was strikingly beautiful (see below), very much like the actresses of the 1940s. She was nearly the youngest of 13 children, and established her own unique, engaging personality and identity. She established herself in the real estate market in Rockport, TX. She ran a household like no other. She taught me all the manners she could teach to a 10 year old. She raised 2 boys, who were quite the handful, to be responsible, good men and caring fathers.

So, I think my motto for Louise Itschner is "Breaking the Mold."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was sad for you when Gayle told me this morning of Louise's passing. The mold really was borken after Louise was created. Though I'd not seen her since Mother Itschner's funeral, I'll always remember her smile.

Crystal

Senegal Daily said...

This is a beautiful tribute, Pegs. You come from a line of strong women!

Amber Dawn said...

if I could catch a plane to Seattle just to give you a hug, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

Swiftyjess said...

I'm sorry to hear the sad news.
I agree with Kari - you've written a wonderful tribute to her!

Jennifer said...

Love you Pegs. Can't wait to see you.