Grandma Pieper--96 Wonderful Years

Mary Olsen Pieper
Katherine, Sadie, William and Tyler discover the Toy Drawer

Fun times with Grandma

Dear Grandma,

I love you and will miss you. I loved coming to your house. Some of my memories:

• Your raspberry jam on homemade bread. Raspberries will always remind me of you.
• Spending the night--wearing long, crocheted stockings with jingle bells on them. (I can still remember how they felt on my feet).
• Reading scriptures after dinner. Sometimes several chapters--that seemed like an ETERNITY. We would each read a chapter or two. When I was young I almost could not handle this.
• Playing rummy, doing puzzles.
• The pink bathroom and using powder when we got out of the shower.
• Thanksgiving Dinner--my favorite was your stuffing. We had long tables set up all over the house. We would even use the old ping-pong tables and then after dinner we would play ping-pong.
• Playing at the school and park. We loved the cannon at the Rigby City Park.
• Walking "to town"--Ben Franklin's to buy a fun treat. Grandma would give us a little bit of change.
• The flour and sugar drawers. I loved these. Also, the fun assortment of little silverware.
• Eating on the placemats--they were scenic photos from the area where Grandma and Grandpa served their mission. Bullhead City--Dolan Springs, AZ. We went to visit them--a wonderful family trip. Aunt Brenda and Uncle Gabe came with us. I remember hunting for lizards and feeding burros on the streets.
• Getting out the old filmstrips and watching "the original" Johnny Lingo. I believe they had a whole set of filmstrips that were from their mission. We used to love to set up the film projector, tape player and watch these. Some great "vintage" memories.
• "Yo Triumphi" Not even sure how to spell that--an old cheer from Grandma's days at Box Elder. I'm sure that any of the Taylor girls could do this for us!
• Grandma teaching me how to crochet. I think I'll make something and have a good cry!
• Your dedication to the gospel--working in the temple, doing genealogy work, and serving others.
• I loved going downstairs--it was almost a scary thrill. Especially the root cellar and the "coffin" It was fun to look through the old books and records.
• Playing with cousins in the "Jungle Room"--we could lock each other in there by closing the door and pulling out the built-in clothes hamper. This probably resulted in quite a few tears over the years.
• Watching hours and hours of cable TV--this was when our family had NO TV for a while and then VERY limited reception, so this was a HUGE treat.
• The family museum--it was always fun to go in there and snoop around at all the cool treasures.
• The toy drawer in the kitchen--old roller skates, the blue fabric donkey that was missing a limb or two, plastic pig, cows, the set of "jailer" keys.
• The smell of the compost bucket under the kitchen sink--I actually like that smell.
• Using the TV trays and feeling REALLY cool.
• Lots of unconditional love and a wonderful example of faith and endurance.
• The "chicken" filled with sweet treats and goodies.

I am grateful for your life. I wished that we lived closer and could be with everyone this week. I am sad that things are going to change. I do not like that. I wish that every time I stopped in Rigby, you would be there with your arms open and a treat in the cookie jar. It is sad for me, but I am so happy for you. What a reunion in heaven. I'll see you soon.

Love, Marilyn

KK keeps on bringing me flowers from the yard and little notes, because I keep crying.