Early in February we travelled to the Marquette MI area to say goodbye to Nana Nana Elsie, Justin's grandmother, who passed away at the age of 88. She was an independent spirit, full of sisu and and a quiet toughness. Even up to just a few years ago she was still climbing up on her own roof to shovel off the massive amounts of snow the U.P. dumped on her house each winter!
Justin has many happy memories spending his Christmases and Easters playing with his cousins at her house, jumping off her sauna into incredible piles of snow, climbing the hill and sliding the luge track, picking strawberries in the sandy back yard, eating first and second breakfasts that his grandmother would make for them. He carries on the first and second breakfast tradition to this day...
Nana Nana Elsie was born in her family sauna to Finnish immigrants who never spoke English. She grew up during the depression and World War II and so saw and experienced the incredible changes our country has been through in the past 80 years. Elise had 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren and her steadfastness lives on in her great-grandchildren. We see so many of her characteristics in Maarit!
We are so lucky that our children got to know and love her in their lifetimes. She could speak fluent Finnish and stayed in touch with their family in Finland and kept the pride in their Finnish heritage alive in her children and grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. She was gentle and generous. She never missed a birthday, anniversary or holiday and always sent each member of our family cards and notes to let us know that she was thinking of us.
Auntie Lisa and cousins
Justin and his cousins, - Nathan
Nana Nana's great grandchildren, - the 3 Anderson children
Jumping off Nana Nana's sauna into the snow, just like Daddy did when he was little!
Nana Nana and our children the summer we moved back from Norway.
We will miss her and remember her always.
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