I speak her name: Kathleen Hogan Smith

 Today I'm remembering my grandmother, who would have celebrated her 113th birthday today. Affectionately known as Grammie K in the 21st century, Gram lived to be 103 years old! What an amazing life she led.

Gram was the first girl in her family who didn't have to knit her own socks before being allowed to go to school (her store-bought socks were ordered from Halifax). When she did go to school, she didn't stay. One of her older brothers had contracted tuberculosis in World War I and was recuperating at home. He told his sister that if she cried, they would send her home. If they sent her home, they could play away the day! Much to her brother's delight and her sisters' chagrin, Kathleen complied with his instruction. 

Kathleen's two sisters closest to her in age (Kathleen was twelfth of thirteen children, there were LOTS of brothers and sisters!) were asked by the school to comfort her and encourage her to stop crying. But she wouldn't stop. Home she went to be her brother's playmate. School would wait another year!

Grandpa had a travel agency, so my grandparents travelled quite extensively. While visiting Gretna Green in Scotland, Grandpa was selected from the tour group to reenact a marriage. Gretna Green is a town on the Scottish/English border famous for weddings because Scottish law allowed marriages without parental consent at 16 years of age. Gram volunteered herself to be his bride in the reenactment - no one else was marrying her man!

Gram loved Contract Bridge and was a member of and host to bridge club for many years. In fact, she stopped hosting bridge club when she was over 100 years old. The hosting part got to be a bit too much, but she still continued to play! We should all be so lucky to have such engaging golden years.

Kathleen Hogan Smith chose Veterans' Day to take her final journey. It was a fitting choice for the wife of a World War II soldier.

There is an African proverb that says that as long as you speak a person's name, they will never die. Similarly, Ernest Hemingway said, "Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal."

Kathleen Hogan Smith - I speak your name, and I keep your spirit alive.