[Sophia M.]

General Discussion Thread 08.09.2025​

Hey, GrayViners!

While helping my niece with a school project, we stumbled across a rare photo of me with all my grandparents together. It instantly brought back memories—and made me wish I’d had more time with some of them.

It got me thinking over my coffee this morning: Did you know all of your grandparents?

Image source: Pexels

Not just their names, but their personalities, their stories, the little quirks that made them… them. Some of us grew up surrounded by all of them, Sunday dinners and holiday traditions etched into memory. Others only met a few, or learned about them through photos and family tales.

So let’s settle this the only way we know how—by sharing stories. Did you know them all? What’s one thing about a grandparent you’ll never forget?

May your memories be warm and your stories even warmer,
Sophia

 

[MaryOliver]

I knew grandparents on both sides, and on my father's side I even knew my great grandparents. On my mother's side I also knew my great grandmother. The great grands on my dad's side lived to be 108 and 112. I was blessed to know all of the people that helped shape my beginnings

 

[GaryBlake]

I never met my father's father, and his mother was known pretty well to me. My mother's parents, however are a different story. My father was in the Navy when my mother was expecting me, and she lived with them. I was born and lived with them for almost a year until my father was discharged. My grandparents lived within walking distance when I was growing up and I would cross 2 fields and arrive at their back door. My Gram taught me how to raise a garden and my Gramp taught me to fish. My mother said when I was young, I called my Gramp my " Gray haired buddy." The lived in Ft Myers Beach in the winter and we would visit them at Christmas. I have soooo many memories of them that I cherish each day. I miss them terribly.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Yes. I knew both of my grandparents on both sides. My Mom and my father’s parents. I was closest to my maternal grandma. She and my grandpa were divorced I a time when there wasn’t a lot of divorces. She helped raise me while my mom finished college and my dad was in the Army. I loved her so much and still miss her. She lived long enough to see my children. Her great grandchildren…

 

[tennis]

I knew my paternal grandparents, they were around quite a bit. they took me fishing. came and visited. had family dinners.
Grandpa was a Wino so we lost him , when I was in second grade. Grandma remarried after while, He was a kind good man. but I was not allowed to call him Grandpa. my dad said so. My maternal grandparents I remember meeting them once in my life. My mothers family lived a farm life , so different ,from my fathers family. My mother was raised closer to the earth and God. Not so much my father. life was good. I am closer now to my maternal side of the family then I have ever been.

 

[Kimbly62]

I was so proud of my mother’s parents.
My grandparents. They took myself and sister into their home as my mother and father weren’t capable of taking care of us.
My grandparents taught me to see the better things in life including morals/values.
My grandmother, so giving and her big meatball and sausage meals on Sundays for everyone. She was a beautiful lady. My grandfather spent a lot of time with me. He had just retired as chief of the fire department. Grandpa taught me to landscape and I enjoy it till this day. My grandpa helped out everyone in his family. He had 7 brothers and one sister. The big cookouts were wonderful. I made money from my great uncles and Aunts as a 7 year old for fetching drinks and food. At the end of the summer is when my grandfather and I counted my tips. It was $45.00. Grandpa took me to the bank and opened a savings account for me. He was very good with money. Explained how to value and respect it.
I learned so much more from my grandparents and all of his Italian siblings
They are all gone now but they’re still living in my heart with the utmost love.

 

[NIBOR0]

I knew my grandparents on both sides. My Grandma on my StepDad's side was quite the dancer and even lived with her boyfriend later in life which kind of shocked me. When ever we went over to her house, there was always a poker game going on with a lot of drinking and food. What was so funny was that my Stepdad, his dad and his 2 brother's got cockeyed when they drank too much. Imagine a table full of men and you couldn't tell what they were looking at! Lot's of fun and laughter. My Grandma Liz, my real Dad's mom, watched me a lot when I was small. They lived in Walnut Creek, CA and I remember going out in her backyard one day and picking all of her limes off the tree. There were quite a few and they were quite small so she wasn't very happy with me. My Mom's mom, Grandma Gong Gong is what we all called her, was always quilting. She won a prize at church for fitting 10 stitches on a needle. I was closest to her when we moved from CA. We thought we were heading to Boston but by the time we got to Kansas City, we were broke. I remember when we got here back in 1993, the year of heavy flooding. I was in our tent with my 10 month old sitting on a blowup mattress with a coleman lantern for heat while the water ran down both sides of the mattress. All of a sudden, my Aunt and Grandma pulled up and got us and went back to my Aunt's house. My husband, a journeyman painter was at the paint store hanging out looking for work. My Aunt had been taking my Grandma (who had lung cancer) to all of her doctor's appointments. Well that all stopped when we arrived. My Grandma insisted that I take her. She even canceled eating Thanksgiving at my Aunt's house to have Thanksgiving with us. My Aunt hadn't invited us. She taught me how to cook rutabegas. Needless, to say, my Aunt was very jealous. My Mom tells me that my 2 youngest kids were the light of my Grandma's life. I beleive it and miss her dearly. Well, I'm done with my novelette lol.

 

[ladypamela13]

Sadly no. I only knew my grandma on mom's side. All the others passed before I was born

 

[Gayle B.]

No, I didn’t know my grandparents on both sides. My mom’s father died when my mom was only 7 years old. Her mom died when I was 3 years old. I have a couple of memories about her but that’s it.
I knew both of my father’s parents. His dad died when I was 10 years old. His mom eventually remarried. She outlived him too. He was a swell man but died too soon. His mom lived into her 90’s.
A fact about my mom’s mom, is that she was a mail order bride from Hungry. He wanted a bride from his home church back in Hungry.
Other than those things I don’t know much else.

 

[Hazeleyes]

I knew my natural grandparents quite well
My paternal grandmother we saw a few times a year. My paternal grandfather passed away when my father was 6 years old so my father really did not know him.

 

[Sophia M.]

I knew grandparents on both sides, and on my father's side I even knew my great grandparents. On my mother's side I also knew my great grandmother. The great grands on my dad's side lived to be 108 and 112. I was blessed to know all of the people that helped shape my beginnings

Wow, @MaryOliver, you really got to know your roots. Not just your grandparents, but great-grandparents on both sides? That’s amazing. And 108 and 112… I can’t even imagine the stories they must have had. Sounds like you had a whole lot of love and history around you growing up

 

[Sophia M.]

I never met my father's father, and his mother was known pretty well to me. My mother's parents, however are a different story. My father was in the Navy when my mother was expecting me, and she lived with them. I was born and lived with them for almost a year until my father was discharged. My grandparents lived within walking distance when I was growing up and I would cross 2 fields and arrive at their back door. My Gram taught me how to raise a garden and my Gramp taught me to fish. My mother said when I was young, I called my Gramp my " Gray haired buddy." The lived in Ft Myers Beach in the winter and we would visit them at Christmas. I have soooo many memories of them that I cherish each day. I miss them terribly.

@GaryBlake, I can just see you crossing those two fields to get to your grandparents’ house. And calling your Gramp your ‘gray-haired buddy’, that’s just the sweetest thing. I love that they taught you things like gardening and fishing. Those are the kind of memories that never fade.

 

[Sophia M.]

Yes. I knew both of my grandparents on both sides. My Mom and my father’s parents. I was closest to my maternal grandma. She and my grandpa were divorced I a time when there wasn’t a lot of divorces. She helped raise me while my mom finished college and my dad was in the Army. I loved her so much and still miss her. She lived long enough to see my children. Her great grandchildren…

That’s such a touching story, @Hello Kitty. Your grandma must’ve been such a strong, loving presence in your life, especially stepping in while your mom finished college and your dad was away. I’m glad she got to see your kids, I bet she adored them.

 

[Sophia M.]

I knew my paternal grandparents, they were around quite a bit. they took me fishing. came and visited. had family dinners.
Grandpa was a Wino so we lost him , when I was in second grade. Grandma remarried after while, He was a kind good man. but I was not allowed to call him Grandpa. my dad said so. My maternal grandparents I remember meeting them once in my life. My mothers family lived a farm life , so different ,from my fathers family. My mother was raised closer to the earth and God. Not so much my father. life was good. I am closer now to my maternal side of the family then I have ever been.

@tennis, sounds like you had a real mix of experiences between both sides of the family. Even with the hard parts, I think it’s pretty special that you’ve grown closer to your mom’s side now.

 

[Sophia M.]

I was so proud of my mother’s parents.
My grandparents. They took myself and sister into their home as my mother and father weren’t capable of taking care of us.
My grandparents taught me to see the better things in life including morals/values.
My grandmother, so giving and her big meatball and sausage meals on Sundays for everyone. She was a beautiful lady. My grandfather spent a lot of time with me. He had just retired as chief of the fire department. Grandpa taught me to landscape and I enjoy it till this day. My grandpa helped out everyone in his family. He had 7 brothers and one sister. The big cookouts were wonderful. I made money from my great uncles and Aunts as a 7 year old for fetching drinks and food. At the end of the summer is when my grandfather and I counted my tips. It was $45.00. Grandpa took me to the bank and opened a savings account for me. He was very good with money. Explained how to value and respect it.
I learned so much more from my grandparents and all of his Italian siblings
They are all gone now but they’re still living in my heart with the utmost love.

Reading your story, @Kimbly62, I could almost smell those big Sunday dinners. And your grandpa teaching you how to save your ‘tip money’, what a great life lesson. You were lucky to have such giving, caring people raising you.

 

[Sophia M.]

I knew my grandparents on both sides. My Grandma on my StepDad's side was quite the dancer and even lived with her boyfriend later in life which kind of shocked me. When ever we went over to her house, there was always a poker game going on with a lot of drinking and food. What was so funny was that my Stepdad, his dad and his 2 brother's got cockeyed when they drank too much. Imagine a table full of men and you couldn't tell what they were looking at! Lot's of fun and laughter. My Grandma Liz, my real Dad's mom, watched me a lot when I was small. They lived in Walnut Creek, CA and I remember going out in her backyard one day and picking all of her limes off the tree. There were quite a few and they were quite small so she wasn't very happy with me. My Mom's mom, Grandma Gong Gong is what we all called her, was always quilting. She won a prize at church for fitting 10 stitches on a needle. I was closest to her when we moved from CA. We thought we were heading to Boston but by the time we got to Kansas City, we were broke. I remember when we got here back in 1993, the year of heavy flooding. I was in our tent with my 10 month old sitting on a blowup mattress with a coleman lantern for heat while the water ran down both sides of the mattress. All of a sudden, my Aunt and Grandma pulled up and got us and went back to my Aunt's house. My husband, a journeyman painter was at the paint store hanging out looking for work. My Aunt had been taking my Grandma (who had lung cancer) to all of her doctor's appointments. Well that all stopped when we arrived. My Grandma insisted that I take her. She even canceled eating Thanksgiving at my Aunt's house to have Thanksgiving with us. My Aunt hadn't invited us. She taught me how to cook rutabegas. Needless, to say, my Aunt was very jealous. My Mom tells me that my 2 youngest kids were the light of my Grandma's life. I beleive it and miss her dearly. Well, I'm done with my novelette lol.

@NIBOR0, your post made me smile. I can just picture that poker table full of uncles and grandpas who’d had one too many. And the way your Grandma Gong Gong made sure you had Thanksgiving with her, that’s real love right there.

 

[Sophia M.]

Sadly no. I only knew my grandma on mom's side. All the others passed before I was born

I’m sorry you didn’t get to know more of your grandparents, @ladypamela13. I hope the time you did have with your grandma is something you think about with a smile.

 

[Sophia M.]

No, I didn’t know my grandparents on both sides. My mom’s father died when my mom was only 7 years old. Her mom died when I was 3 years old. I have a couple of memories about her but that’s it.
I knew both of my father’s parents. His dad died when I was 10 years old. His mom eventually remarried. She outlived him too. He was a swell man but died too soon. His mom lived into her 90’s.
A fact about my mom’s mom, is that she was a mail order bride from Hungry. He wanted a bride from his home church back in Hungry.
Other than those things I don’t know much else.

That’s such an interesting detail about your grandmother being a mail-order bride from Hungary, @Gayle B. Even if you don’t have many memories of her, knowing that piece of her story is like holding onto a little piece of history.

 

[Sophia M.]

I knew my natural grandparents quite well
My paternal grandmother we saw a few times a year. My paternal grandfather passed away when my father was 6 years old so my father really did not know him.

It’s nice you got to know some of your grandparents, @Hazeleyes, even if you didn’t get to meet everyone. Those visits with your grandma sound like they were a special part of your childhood.

 

[Carol *]

I had my grandparents on both side and spent a lot of time with them. On my father's side I had 2 sets of great grandparents and a great great grandmother. I was still very young when my great great grandmother passed.