Grandma Rita

So, my Grandma, Rita Louise Kreiser Youker, passed away this last November, a day before her and my grandfather's 70th Wedding Anniversary. She had a rough few years toward the end. December 2013, while I was living in Colorado, she had a perforated bowel, emergency surgery (which they weren't sure she'd get through!), and ended up with a colostomy bag. A few years of in home health aides, and then into a few Assisted Living facilities up until the end. I know in those last years, she enjoyed playing Bingo, received Holy Communion weekly out of St. Patrick's Church by a dear lady, Maxine Steinmiller, whom she knew growing up at St. Mary's, Hannah. Grandma developed Lewy Body dementia, and it was very hard for me to follow a conversation with her and she could be a bit mean at times. I do remember her telling me about a year before she passed on that she missed my Grandfather very much.
Grandma was born on Feb. 15, 1925 on Miller Rd. a few miles west of Hannah, to Fritz and Louise (Steinebach) Kreiser. A brother, Paul was born in March 1924 that passed away of SIDS. A picture was taken of Grandma as an infant, as her parents never had one of Paul.
Grandma's earliest memory, she said, was of her brother, Ralph. He was a baby, and she was about 2 and a half years old. One day, she picked Ralph up out of the crib, and was carrying him out to everyone. "Rita, bring me the baby, bring me the baby!" stated very calmly by her mother, was her earliest memory.

Patricia, Rita, and Vonnie.

Brothers, Carl and Jerry followed. Grandma stated the boys were always getting into fights, and her mother was always having to get in between them and brake it up.  A sister (finally) when she was 9 years old, Patricia, and 13 years old, her baby sister, Vonnie. Aunt Vonnie doesn't remember Grandma being at home. Grandma was out of the house and living and working in the Nurse's dorms at the Traverse City State Hospital at the age of 19.
Grandma attend St. Mary's school at Hannah. Attended Daily Mass throughout her school years, and sang in the choir at the High Mass every Sunday morning. Dances were held at the school, and the Dominican Sisters actually taught the students how to dance! Waltzes, Polkas, two steps, etc.. During WWII years, parish priest, was Father Louis Flohe, and he was very loved by the people of Hannah. Grandma talked fondly about him for years. She had a little bit of trouble with Algebra in school, and Father tutored her in the evening at the rectory. When my Grandpa Jim was taking instructions to become a Catholic in High School, Father Flohe taught him and received him into the Church.
Grandma first met Grandpa, while she was active in her local 4H. Her leader, was Mrs. Frances Youker, my grandfather's mother. She was a woman my grandmother admired greatly. Frances was fun, giggly, social, and very active in many societies, groups, etc. She was also a school teacher. Grandma said that Frances "was always looking to better the lives of children." Unfortunately, Frances passed away in 1946, at the age of 52, from a heart attack. My Grandpa Jim was overseas in the Army at the time, she never met any of her grandchildren.
Grandpa and Grandma were married Thanksgiving Day, 1947 in St. Mary's Church at Hannah. The church that was helped built by both sets of her grandparents. A High Mass was said by Fr. Clement Sigmund (who also baptized my father). Grandma made her own wedding gown, but said "because of the war" she was not able to get the material she wanted for it. Her bridesmaids were her sister, Pat, cousin, Mary Kreiser, and best friend, Mary Ellen Schetek, from Cedar. It was a VERY cold day, so cold that people had trouble starting their cars after the ceremony. The wedding reception consisted of your usual Thanksgiving meal fixings, several raisin pies made by Grandma Louise Kreiser, and a two tiered wedding cake.

Grandma enjoyed all things music: dancing, polka, country western (Jim Reeves), Lawrence Welk, Elvis, Bobby Vinton. She enjoyed traveling, and seemed to really enjoy trips that they made to Mexico, particularly Cozumel. She was quite proud of the fact that while in New Orleans, she walked up and down Bourbon Street, which she was warned was "very dangerous".
Grandma Rita was a great cook. Delicious coleslaw, chicken, pork roasts, baked apples, scalloped potatoes, raisin pie, sticky buns, etc..
She told me once that as a teenager, she dreamed of running off to New York City and becoming an interior decorator. She enjoyed art, and many flashy, colorful things. She loved the color red.
A meticulous housekeeper (much like her mother), everything was neat, clean, and had its place. Everything smelled clean and fresh.
She was also a talker. She'd tell you everything you'd ever want to know about her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. Old stories about Hannah, and surrounding area, she had several.
She was also always giving. She'd give you advice, sometimes it wasn't always what you wanted to hear or would agree with, but she was more than willing to give it!
As I said, her last few years on this earth were rough, but glad that she's finally at rest.