Wednesday, July 6, 2011

October 15, 1925 ~ July 4, 2011...my beloved Omi

Theresia Bernharda Schulte
Taylor Cole


She was cured of cancer at 85
one of 4 sisters...Tehkla, Emmi, Marlis, & Theresia
a wife to 2 husbands
 a rape victim at 82
 a holocaust survivor as a pre teen
lost her mother & her father as a young girl
was extremely private about her trials under Hitler
a veteran of WW2 where she actually served the American Army in Germany
  a mother to many who had none
 she birthed 4--identical twins among them
 a soldier's wife
  a grandmother to at least 5 
great grandmother to more than 15
She loved to sew
knew good times
 Had a hearty laugh
was Catholic (Ave Maria played at my wedding in a nod to her heritage)
 could give the stink eye if you needed it (& I often did!)
 taught my preschoolers German nursery rhymes
and my teenagers funny phrases in Deutch (Verschwinde wie der  furtz im winde! & Halt die klappe!)
  Her hands taught me to sew
and how to make German potato salad...they made me chicken noodle soup
 She laughed at me when I visited her in North Dakota for my college Spring Break--bringing my bathing suit~~ which I WORE in a snowball fight in her front yard! 
I will miss her funny German accent and way of slipping between languages when she was irritated
She was not perfect...but oh so colorful, interesting, & vibrant
She NEVER whined...she was a "get on, get over it" kind of woman
She was a clean freak...typical German stereotype
She never batted an eye at me decision to adopt...never once questioned my desires to give love to those that needed a mama....never told me what a "Good Thing" I was doing...she understood the call, perhaps because I inherited that gene from her...having done the same in her younger days in post Hitler Germany

I am her only grandchild named for her...Tiffany Therese
She was my last living grandparent

& in her ever willful way...went out with a bang on July 4th...
American Independence Day

She left me quite a legacy. 


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7 comments:

Cindy said...

Oh Tiffany...I am crying...for the loss of such a precious woman.
I pray you will feel her comforting love in your heart..thru the years to come..I know I feel my Mema's earthly love all the time.
I know as a Christian they really aren't with us...but their legacy here on earth..is in me..the things she taught me..and the life lessons learned from her..I still pass these to my children and grandchildren..as I know you will pass to yours.
May God Hold you in His arms for comfort during this time!!!

Hugs and prayers..Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

Stephanie said...

What an amazing legacy she leaves. I can tell you have been blessed by her presence. So sorry for your loss!

Michele said...

Oh what a beautiful post. What a dear woman. I am sure she will be sadly missed by many.

I am sorry for your loss.

lpiccoli said...

Tiffany, I am so sorry for your loss.

I am keeping you all in my prayers.

Laura

Football and Fried Rice said...

What a beautiful survivor..and what a legacy indeed!

Anonymous said...

Tif, I am sorry for the lost of your Grandmother, such a legacy she left behind. I cried, chuckled, and cried some more at your lost. How wonderful that you've taken on her attributes to keep her memory alive. My prayers are with your family as you grieve. God Bless you, Tiffany.Love,Holly Mathewson

Anonymous said...

Tif, In rereading what I wrote, I noticed that I said that I cried, chuckled and cried at your loss. I meant to write that I cried, chuckled and cried at what you wrote!!! I'm so sorry. I get myself into More trouble!! Maybe that's where my Anna gets it from.:)Again, sorry for my miss write! love,hollym.rhei