It has always been my opinion that Grandma Elma was the center of our family’s universe, though she would hate it if you pointed that out. She wouldn’t want anyone to make a fuss. Now, I am only one of her 15 grandchildren, not to mention the 15 great-grandchildren, 8 children and all their associated persons, so my views are not the definitive ones. But I have watched our family swirl around her kitchen and her smiling face for my whole life.
Even past the time when Grandma would produce an endless stream of food for visiting family, the family centered their talks and conversations around her chair. When Grandma passed last week she, of course, didn’t want a fuss made over her. No funeral, no service, no memorial… but she was our family’s center and so a few of us naughty grandchildren planned a little something anyway.
We filled a kitchen with people.
We put knives in the hands of those who were capable of cutting and we put babies in the laps of great-uncles.
Some of us started stirring up dough and rolling out pie crusts, while hunters came and went and told stories. 
I have wondered in the last week how our family will do with it’s sunny center gone, but I watched as we talked and laughed,
told stories and cried,
waved sticky, floury, messy hands about and demanded help from hunters who thought they were just passing through.
As the family worked together making a foolish amount of pasties and apple pies, I watched us all swirling around one another. And then, as we sent the food off to feed to hungry hunters and more home with families to be eaten later, I had hope that even with the center of our universe gone, she taught us well enough that we will still spin through life together.
Grandma would still probably scold us for making a fuss about her but, I think, if she had been there in that hot kitchen with all her family working together, she would have had a smile on her face while she did it.
Elma Eloranta
1919-2017
All photo credit belongs to my Aunt Helen.
Behind the Willows 
Sounds like a perfect tribute to her. I’m sorry for your loss, she sounds like a beautiful person with a life well lived.
❤
What a lovely way to bring the family together to celebrate someone so specials life.
❤
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
What a wonderful tribute to a very special lady!
❤
Jessie,
What fond memories you have and more to be made for your girls. So sorry for your loss.
❤
How wonderful for your family to have such a lovely mother, grandmother and ggrandmother. A lot of families have the one person who gathers people around like a mother hen! I envy you, I did not know either grandmother.
❤
Tissues out, excellent tribute Jessie, ♥️♥️♥️
❤
That’s what grandma’s do. 🙂 … Bon Voyage, Elma.
❤
[…] Our Sunny Center – Behind The Willows […]
A wonderful tribute to her and such a loving family you all our. This moved my heart deeply Jessie, I guess the center has now shifted to you all, along with your big hearts and she would be so proud of you too.
❤ ❤ ❤