Jackie Gillispie

We’d be remiss not to mention granny’s decades mind crush on Elvis and how much she loved his music. At arbor house they would play music a lot for the residents sm her little shoulder would get going when Elvis came on 😍

Granny used to tell this story when we would ask her how she met BD. She said she was at a bingo/dance night on the base and was just sitting with her friends. They would move the game tables out of the way when the band started and it turned into a dance floor. Right about that time she noticed a tall, dark and very handsome Marine in uniform leaning against the wall looking her way. This is my favorite part. She says I had just read an article in Cosmo the day before about how to flirt. 😍😂 She said so I did exactly it said. I made eye contact for a second when he looked at me then I looked away. Then I would glance his direction and when he looked over I would smile then look away. He came over and asked me to dance and here we are now so I guess it worked. Classic.

Granny didn’t just leave us with memories, she left us with a legacy. The kind of stories you tell over and over, because they’re too good not to share. She loved with everything she had, fiercely, protectively, and often with a side of sass. Take, for example, the time I broke my arm in third grade. The doctor casually lifted it, then dropped it, asking, “Does that hurt?” Before I could answer, Granny, who was across the room, locked eyes on him like a heat-seeking missile. If looks could kill, that man would’ve needed a doctor himself. I may have been in pain, but I was more nervous for him. Granny’s legacy is more than just stories, though. Sometimes when I’m absentmindedly kicking my foot or drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, I think, “Well, there she is again.” She’s woven into our habits, our humor, our stubborn streaks, and yes, our beauty routines. Because if she taught us anything, it’s that you never leave the house without your hair done. Ever. Not to mention that a napkin or paper towel hates to see me coming. But above all, Granny taught us about love. The kind that’s brave, empathetic, dignified, and resilient. The kind that lifts people up, defends what matters, and never lets you leave hungry. Thank you, Granny. For your fierce love, your sharp wit, your steady presence, and for the countless ways you shaped who we are. We miss you dearly, but your mark on our hearts is permanent.

There are many favorite memories of Aunt Jackie but the one that stands out the most is every week on Wednesday my mother, Patsy and Aunt Jackie would go to the beauty shop. After they were done, they would go back to my mother house and have coffee. We would sit and talk to the two of them for hours. Sometimes Uncle Eddie would show up. Often we would go spend the night with Aunt Jackie and Uncle Eddie and she would come pick us up in Flagridge and take us back to her house. We would talk about everything under the sun. There were weekends at the beach house where we would listen to Aunt Jackie fuss at Uncle Eddie and say, "Good God, Edward" Funny one - She was at the Balinese Room in Galveston where she drank one too many grasshoppers and tried to cut her green peas with a knife and then almost fell out of her chair. She told us after that she made a deal with God that she would never drink again if she could just survive the night and live. We loved Aunt Jackie so very much. A beautiful woman all of her life. Love, Michelle and Laurie

I may not be the only one to write about this memory because it is something that recurred a lot! Anytime grandpa would say or do something inappropriate in front of us grandkids, Granny would always respond with "JESUS E.D.!!" Melissa and I would always try to perfect the tone and delivery when trying to emulate granny lol!

One of my favorite things as a kid with Granny was when she would pick me up from school. She always came with snacks like a Twix bar or a Dr. pepper and then we’d go to Red Top or McDonald’s and get a burger and fries or tacos. We’d often swing by dillard’s because, you know, it was on the way home even though it totally wasn’t. It was always just fun. I felt free and happy and very spoiled when I hung out with Granny especially when it was just the two of us. It’s funny the details you remember. Like her packing my lunch when I’d stay the night there and there was this tiny thermos she’d put cottage cheese in with salt and pepper on top exactly how I liked it. And how by the time I got out of the bathtub and dried my hair the clothes I’d been wearing had been washed, dried and folded. Now I’m exactly the same way…very efficient with housework 😂 My whole family helped me with my daughter because of how young I was when I had her. I remember waking up at night and sarah not being next to me. I’d freak out and run around the house and find Granny quietly rocking her back to sleep in the game room at Holly Chase. All so I could sleep to get up early for class the next day. She did so many quiet, thankless things for me. And for all of us. I’ll never forget how cared for she made me feel.

Too much to share ...but here's kind of a blanket coverage from me..." Even though Mom worked almost all of our younger days as a military single Mom, she always made sure to cook us dinner. Once a week she would cook us her secret sauce spaghetti dinner which was a real treat. Other nights, corn beef hash from the can or banana and mayonnaise or peanut butter sandwiches, we never went hungry. I, being a bit of accident prone, can't count the times Mom had to take off work and come take me to the hospital to get stitches, but it was many. Mom was always there for us. Didn't matter how right or how wrong, she was the best MOM ever. Thank you for being my (our) Mom.

One of my favorite granny memoires is driving back and forth from LJ to Austin, Jonathan and I in the back of her car, classical music playing and lots of goldfish.