The Peaden Life: In Memory of Grandma McAllister (David's Grandma)

Thursday, December 5, 2013

In Memory of Grandma McAllister (David's Grandma)

On November 27, 2013 my Grandma McAllister passed away. I love my Grandma so much. She was the perfect grandma. She was kind and fun and made me feel special. Her husband passed away in 2005 when I was on my mission. Her health was actually really good until just recently. However, she had Alzheimer's and it had become progressively worse over the last two years. Then over the last 2 months her health declined. On November 25 my mom called to let me know that the hospice people did not think that she would make it more than 4 or 5 more days. So Shantel and I went to West Jordan with Lydia to be able to say goodbye to grandma. She was asleep, but we sat with her and told some of our favorite stories about her with my parents, Amy, and Wendy and Sam and their family. It was fun talking about her life and how much joy she brought us. I told her that I would come and visit again on Thanksgiving, but that if she left before then, that it was okay and that I love her. She passed away on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. I'm so grateful for the Plan of Salvation. She has missed her husband and her parents and she will be so glad to be with them again.

Here is here obituary.

1925 ~ 2013

West Jordan, UT-Our beloved sister, mother, grandmother and friend, Blanche Ellen Bates McAllister, passed away on November 27, 2013 at the age of 88.

She was born in Dividend, Utah on August 29, 1925 to LaSelle Monford Bates and Nellie May Jennings. She grew up in a large family in Phoenix, Arizona and attended Phoenix Union High School.
Blanche married Edmond L. McAllister on October 19, 1944 in the Mesa, Arizona LDS Temple. They were blessed with three children, Ed Jr., Brian, and Sue. They lived in Phoenix, Arizona for many years but eventually moved to St. George, Utah. Blanche and Ed owned a shoe store in St. George, a drapery business, and Blanche also worked for the Washington County Assessor's office for several years. She enjoyed listening to music, watching classic old movies, reading, sewing, going to baseball and basketball games and spending time with family and friends.

Blanche was a devoted member of the LDS church and served in many ward and stake leadership positions. She and Ed served as locator missionaries following their retirement. Her most important accomplishment in life was her family and she spent much time traveling to take care of and visit siblings, children, and grandchildren.

Blanche is survived by her children, Ed Jr., Brian (Diana), and Sue (Cal Peaden); 14 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren; her brother Dean Bates and sisters' Dixie Wood and Flo Polka. She was preceded in death by her husband, five brothers, and two sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at the Westland 7th Ward, 7115 S. 3200 W., West Jordan. Friends and family may attend a viewing from 10:00 to 11:00 prior to the funeral services. A graveside service will be held in the St. George City cemetery on Thursday, December 5 at 10:00.

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Grandma was one of the most fun and vibrant people you would ever meet. Each year we went at least once for an entire week to visit with our grandparents. Here are a few stories and things I remember about Grandma.

I loved going to visit Grandma in St. George. We would sit on the bar stools at her counter and she would make dinner, or treats or anything and we would just talk to her. Here are a couple of things I remember about Grandma.

-Making taffy: We would always beg Grandma to make taffy. She would pull it out of the oven and the taffy was so hot that my grandma would start to pull the taffy, then when it was cool enough, she would hand it off to one of us grandkids and pull start another that was too hot for us. It made such a fun treat to pull back and forth and then when it cooled, it was so delicious.

-Playing basketball outside: My grandparents neighbors would let us play on their court next door and so we would go outside and play until we were too hot and then run inside to find a treat. My grandparents had their front door and then a side door that came in directly to the kitchen. I never went in through the front door. In fact, I did not even think the door worked until one day someone came to visit and they knocked on the front door. So we would always come in the side door straight into the kitchen. On the left just before the family room was a little fabric sack that my grandma filled with treats like hershey kisses and chocolate candy. I loved coming in and grabbing a little candy. Then since we were so hot we would go play games in their basement. They had a huge room downstairs that was perfect for playing games. Here are a couple of pictures from their house in St. George.

Front yard and back yard. We ran up those stairs in the back all time running in and out of the house.

Back yard and kitchen view from the family room.

Dining room and family room.

Grandma cooking in the Kitchen.

-Talking to grandma: I loved to talk to grandma and be around her. Every night when my grandma was getting ready for bed all of us grandchildren would find her. Then we would crowd into her bathroom (or if they were visiting our house our bathroom) and just talk to her. We loved listening and we would sit for 30 minutes or an hour and just talk. She would say in the morning that she was "putting on her face" and at night that she was "taking off her face."

-Crossword puzzles: My grandma loved to do crossword puzzles. She was really good at them and could figure them out. It was fun to watch my grandma and my mom work on the daily cross word puzzle together.

-Walking: My grandma loved to walk in the morning, she would make the loop around her block that went past the St. George temple.

-Old: We always told my grandma that she was not old until she was 95. Then we planned to have a big party on her birthday with lots of good food and then she would fall asleep and pass away. So as far as I am concerned, she was never old. We tried to celebrate her and eat some good food to celebrate her life.

Here are some pictures from the funeral:

Shantel and Lydia and I with Grandma's two sisters Dixie and Flo. Grandma loved Flo and Dixie and loved to have them come and visit. We loved it too, the three of them were such fun together.

Shantel and Lydia and I. The service was very nice and a perfect remembrance of Grandma. I got the opportunity to talk about the Atonement and share some memories of my Grandma.

Right after the funeral everyone that could headed to St. George for a graveside service the next day so that she could be buried next to Grandpa. Here are a few pictures from that night and the service the next day.

Lydia found Mommy's makeup- she knows where it goes, too!

The pall bearers putting their boutonnieres on the casket.

After we spent a while visiting my grandparents old house and the temple. Then we all went to eat at Chick-fil-a before driving home.

In memory of my Grandma, just a couple other pictures.

After my mission, my Grandma let me use her truck. It belonged to Grandpa and he loved it and drove it for a long time. I loved driving the truck and it always reminded me of my grandma and grandpa. I drove it up to Logan many times and drove it for dates and loved it.