She died today. She was 102.
My mother in law works in an assisted care home and DH took DS there a few years back, when our friend was "only" 99. She and DS took to each other right away and she invited us to her 100th birthday party.
I thought we'd better go because it would be small and it would be nice for someone to be there. It turned out to be the most well attended birthday I'd ever seen. She had a huge family who adored her and so many friends. She was so kind and lively and witty, and everyone loved her.
We went to visit every few months. She always remembered DS. She recognized him til his last visit two months ago, as well as the little brother and sister he's acquired since she met him. :)
She gave the DC candy every time she saw them and never said goodbye without adding "I love you, and so does God." She was devoutly religious and talked many times about being reunited with her husband, who has been dead for at least thirty years. She said "he's missed a lot- I'll have so much to tell him!" :)
I know that this board is filled with so many sad stories, so many young passing. I know I shouldn't feel so sad about a woman who got over a century...and a good century. She never developed dementia and could walk until last week. She was surrounded by loved ones and had visitors every day.
But I will miss her. It seems so strange we won't see her again. :(
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Bereavement
Can I tell you about our friend?
CheerfulYank · 23/11/2015 23:57
How very lovely to be loved so much. It's a joy to see someone cherished and not dismissed for their age.
I'm sorry for your loss.
So sorry for the loss of your friend CheerfulYank. She sounds like an amazing woman 
Your post reminds me of my grandmother, who died ten years ago aged 98. Another amazing, strong woman who was fit as a fiddle until a year or two before she died. She was a helper at the local Day Centre for elderly people and used to go every week to chat & play dominoes with them. The irony was that these 'old folk' as she called them were often about 20 years younger than she was!
She sounds wonderful. Sorry for your loss, there's nothing wrong with missing her
I'm sorry for your loss. What an amazing woman she sounds. She seems like she was truly blessed, as were you for getting to know someone so fabulous. As sad as it is she has passed, this thread has made me smile.
What a beautiful person she was
Sounds like you were very special to her too.
So often and so thoughtlessly the death of an older person, is greeted with: Not a bad innings. However your description of your friend's rich life is worthy of an entry in Wisden.
Sorry for your loss, CheerfulYank, she sounded like a splendid human being.
Many
She sounds marvellous and I'm sorry for your loss.
My gran was 98 when she died earlier this year, she had her physical health problems but was in wonderful form mentally until she suffered a bereavement that was just too much for her to cope with and caused her to give up. Had that not happened, I'm sure she would have made her centenary.
"..and a good century" stood out in your OP, I'm so glad your friend had quality as well as quantity, as my gran did. So many people don't get both.
Memories are a wonderful thing
Thanks everyone. :) She was lovely and we were lucky to know her, both because she was our friend and because she was such a wonderful example of a full life right to the end.
Her name was Wilhelmina but she didn't like that. She went by Minnie (no connotations with that word here in the states 
). I told her Wilhelmina was coming back as a name but she didn't believe me. :o
When her daughter (who is a great grandmother herself, I believe) had knee surgery five years ago, she moved into the assisted living place with Minnie for a few months, so Minnie could take care of her! That always made me smile. (That was before we knew them well, but my mother in law told us about it.)
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