Shuffling Off to Buffalo

Grandma'dele "shuffled off to Buffalo" (as she would say it) yesterday. My parents told me that it was very peaceful and she wasn't in much pain. She just drifted off to sleep and didn't wake up. Although it was expected, and as my grandma informed me, "a good thing," it is still hard to deal with the fact that she is no longer here. She was such an amazing woman!

When I was younger it was just Grandma'dele. I remember being at her house in Sugarhouse with the popcorn ceiling that sparkled. She would paint our fingernails. We would see her at all our family gathering which included most every holiday. We would always have potluck dinners and she would bring fancy things that I did not like, like cranberry set salad, and shrimp.

She was always vibrant both in her attitude toward life and in her clothing and accessories. I remember my grandma giving us each a pair of big, dangly earrings that you could interchange the colors to match any outfit you were wearing. She had a pair herself as well.

I remember visiting her at work at the Zion's bank that is housed in the circle building somewhere near 7th East.

Later she remarried, Ralph Kofoed. I don't remember any dating period or even a time when I was uncomfortable with him. I just remember Grandma'dele single and then Grandma'dele and Grandpa Kofe. They were quite the couple. Grandpa loved to make wooden decorations and their garden and yard were filled with brightly painted flowers, butterflies and birds. For awhile they had a cabin in Star Valley, Wyoming named "Twice Glad." As my Grandpa used to say, they were glad to see you come and glad to see you go. The cabin was on or close to a golf course and my Grandma had her own hot pink golf cart along with hot pink golf balls.

My Grandma was always positive and happy. I don't remember her ever dwelling on the negative. I know her life was not easy but she always faced life with a positive attitude. That is something that I hope I can do better at. She always called me "Katy-did," even the last time I called her a couple of weeks ago. How I love and will miss my Grandma'dele. She has left a great legacy of love for her family.