100 Year Old Grandma

 

Grandma and Grandpa Douglas with some of their 30 grandchildren around 1952. From left to right: Keith Walls, Grandpa, Grandma - standing, Evelyn Douglas, Carolyn Walls holding Marilyn Douglas, Donna Walls, LeRoy Walls - on his knees and Leland Douglas, Jr. 

Photo by

  
Margaret Walls  

 

Written by 
LeRoy Walls 
CEO 

On June 24, 1990 my Grandma, Lottie Hoeck Douglas, will celebrate her 100th birthday. She is by no means "spry" but she can still be a bit "sassy!" She lives in the Kabul Nursing Home here in Cabool.

For any life that spans 100 years and which began in 1890, before automobiles, telephones, electricity, and World Wars, there are hundreds of great stories. The part of Grandma’s life that I wish to share is her current battle to stay in touch with her family and to keep her memory and her sanity.

Throughout her many years Grandma has been dearly tried and tested. In all past instances she has adapted to both the good times and bad with an undamaged zest for life. Some of the big trials and adjustments she has faced after growing up are:

  • Being married
  • Being a mother
  • Living through the Great Depression
  • Having sons and a son-in-law in World War II
  • Being a grandmother
  • Being a farm wife during the droughts of the 1950’s
  • Losing a husband
  • Walking after a broken hip
  • Surviving a stroke
  • And now her current challenge is living separate from her family.

Grandma spent most of her life living in the farm community of White Rock which is located about 10 miles west of Houston, Missouri. Lottie Douglas has always been respected in this community for her gentle nature, her homemaking, her love for music and her adaptability to all situations.

She was married for 64 years to Oscar Douglas who died in 1978. They had 7 children and have 30 grandchildren, 96 great grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren. To date their descendants total 147. All of Grandma’s 7 children are living.

For the first five years after Grandpa died, Grandma took turns living a few weeks or months at a time with each of her seven children. In 1983 she began living with my Mom and Dad at their home near Cabool. My Mom, Margaret Douglas Walls, is Grandma’s first born and they have always enjoyed a special closeness. In 1985 Grandma survived a stroke that immobilized her and confined her to a bed or wheelchair. Not too long after her stroke, Grandma moved to the Kabul Nursing Home.

Grandma doesn’t see well enough to read. Due partly to her poor sight she has no interest in watching television.

If you visit Lottie Douglas in her room, your first impression will probably be that she is a smallish old lady that sits strapped into her wheel chair with her head down and talks almost endlessly to herself. If you listened for awhile you may even notice that at times she’s talking as if she’s back on the farm and her husband, Oscar, is alive. She might also be in her childhood, or could appear to be talking to my Mom as if she’s living with her and helping her plan a Sunday Walls or Douglas family get-together. Your first and probably last impression of my Grandma’s stability might rightfully be doubtful...but as Paul Harvey might say, "Stay tuned for the rest of the story!"

Grandma is fortunate to have friends and family who visit her nearly every day. There are also photographs plus cards and letters, which my mother reads to her, from her out-of-state children and grandchildren.

Even with inside Sunday activities, regular visits, and letters from family and friends it doesn’t change the fact that Grandma lives away from her closest family. For 95 years she lived with family and now for the past 5 years she is separated from them due to Grandpa’s death and her physical condition.

Grandma is a lady of faith in God and can on this or any other day recite clearly for you the 23rd Psalm of how "the Lord is her shepherd." Yet the reason for her desire to live here on this earth amidst her aches and pains is simply, "To be in the company of the family and friends that she loves." It doesn’t matter whether the get-together is with only one son, daughter, friend, grandchild, or with a whole roomful of descendants. My Grandma, and many others like her, I suspect, spent her life loving people and she still looks forward to being loved and to continue loving others and seeing their growth and progress.

Grandma is well aware that some of the other nursing home residents have lost their ability to communicate with those they have nurtured and love. A few years ago Grandma told me quite plainly that she was doing all she could to keep her memory and her mind functioning. She told me that is why she talks so much. She speaks as if she’s talking to family and friends even when none are present. She talks to those that shared her life in past years. She doesn’t do this for an outward reason. It is simply her way of fighting the battle to "Keep her wits about her!"

I can relate to her approach of going back in time to familiar and joyful times. I sometimes take my mind back to the days when I grew up on the farm or to one of the great Christmas get-togethers at Grandma Douglas’ house. I still remember the fried chicken, the store bought, for Christmas only, orange slice candy and the opening of presents which included those from our out-of-state family members.

For me a normal visit with Grandma now starts with some catch-up on how my family is doing. My family now includes two grandchildren - her great-great granddaughters. Grandma and Grandpa always liked progress both within the family and in the community. After a few minutes of conversation Grandma often drifts into her own conversation which can include some travel to other time periods. I don’t always believe all the tales she tells me but I didn’t always believe all of those told by my fun-loving Grandpa either!

What I do enjoy from listening in on Grandma’s stories and conversation is that whether Grandma’s mind is back with Grandpa on the farm, living with one of her kids, after Grandpa’s death, or elsewhere, Grandma is always having a great time. She is spending time with those she loves.

Don’t you dare feel sorry for my Grandma! She lives in the current time enough to stay in touch with those she loves. For the rest of the time she apparently chooses to live in "the best of times!"

Epilogue

Grandma Douglas lived to the age of 102 and, by my assessment, was to the end generally able to enjoy her family and "keep her wits about her."

 

12/31/1990