My wonderful Grandmother, Willie Skinner AKA “Mother Dear” left this earthly plane yesterday after 96 years. It isn’t a sad occasion because she lived a long and fruitful life! She had five grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and 8 great great grandchildren! She grew up in the segreated south in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She only had one biological child, my Mother. I have fond memories of when she would come to visit me and my siblings growing up in Akron, Ohio. We were always so excited by her arrival because we knew she would come bearing gifts and would dote on us as only a grandparent can. She was strict too! One thing she would not tolerate is a disrespectful child. We were taught that it’s always best to respond with “yes ma’am” or no “ma’am” when asked a question. We also knew that when adults were engaged in conversation, we needed to leave the room. As far back as I can remember, my Grandmother was a hard worker. She held down jobs in factories better than any man I’ve known! She was an excellent cook and I knew that whenever I went to visit her I was always going to be treated to my favorites, particularly fried catfish! She loved telling stories of her childhood and her life experiences. She was particularly fond of sharing tales of the antics of her first grandchild, me. It was amazing to hear these stories and equally as amazing that she was able to remember them at her age! She was a very giving woman and cared for her Mother, two Aunts, and a husband until they each made their transition. She was fiercely independent and maintained her own home in Greenville, Mississippi up until 10 years ago when her health and living conditions made it apparent that she needed to be looked after. She stayed briefly with my Brother’s family in the Atlanta, Georgia area and ultimately whent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to live with my Mother and Sister. This was an adjustment for her and it wasn’t always easy. After initially accepting her new normal, she went through a period of rebellion and I remember her calling, begging for me to intercede and advocate for her to go back home. She soon accepted that staying with my Mom was best and in short order, my Mother was able to get her weaned off cigarettes, and on a diet suitable for someone suffering from diabetes. When my Mom and Sister moved to the San Antonio, Texas area, my Grandmother started the final chapter of her life there. There were times when we thought her end might be near, but she always bounced back, stronger than ever and her doctors were always amazed at how well her health was under my Mother and Sister’s care. She actually got to a point where medication for her blood sugar was no longer neccessary! She would call me regularly just to say hello and to ask me when I was going to come see her. Thankfully, she made it through the Covid pandemic unscathed despite the fact that both my Mom and my Sister at seperate times contracted Covid. I was blessed to see hear in September of 2021 and despite her frail state, she was able to acknowledge my presence and tell me how much she loved me. Over the last year, I noticed that the desire to converse became less frequent, and on the occasions that we did talk, it was limited to “hello”, “how are you?”, “You sound good”, “grandma loves you”. Of course, there was the occasional “When are you gonna come see me?” This past November on the occasion of her 96th birthday, she called to thank me for her flowers. The last conversation I had with her was several weeks ago when I was talking to my Mom who was giving her breakfast and she said hi in the background and said she loved me. Of course, we knew that she was limited in how much time she had left, as her physician had approved home hospice care 6 months ago. Because of her resiliancy and toughness, we had no set timetable and her appetite remained hearty up until this past weekend when as if with the flick of a switch she determined that she was ready to go. I am so thankful that her transition was a peaceful one and that she was able to stay with family these past 10 years as opposed to being in a nursing home. It hasn’t been easy for my Mother and my Sister and I am eternally greatful that they unselfishly gave her the love and care that I truly believe kept her here with us this long. I am at peace knowing that she is too and I know she will watch over me. Rest in Peace my Mother Dear!