Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Dear Family members of Grace
At this moment (Tuesday evening), it seems apparent that I will not be able to join you tomorrow as you gather to grieve together over the death of "our Gracie" as my husband usually referred to her. She was not able to come often to visit at our house but when she did, those two, 'dyed-in-the-wool' farmers, both of them, would have a pow-wow about their past adventures In farming- the crops they grew, the cattle/horses/sheep/goats they raised, the economic conditions with which they contended, the weather they battled and the seasons they saw that came and went.
Like the real tiller of the soil and lover of animals that she was, Grace never lost her love of growing things and caring for animals. And when we were driving back and forth to doctors appointments here and there during the last few years that she was residing in Tatamagouche (I was not the only person who assisted her in this manner- she had many friends who shared that privilege), she told me much about her family and her farming. We had many good times together during the years she was with us - I learned a lot from Grace.
Likely there will be many words spoken and many memories shared about Grace as a mother, grand-mother, friend, citizen, but there was one element of her life and history that affected me particularly: it was that she had loved her father so dearly. Often she either quoted him or referred to something she had learned from him and had never forgotten. That was one thing. The other was that she demonstrated and practiced so much loving concern for her mother who at the time lived in Truro. She visited her often, called her daily, and did whatever she was capable of doing for her aged mother. It was heart-warming to observe.
But there, you all know these things. But for whatever it is worth, it seemed to me to be good to inform you that many others also knew of her sterling qualities and fine spirit.
Please know as well that I and "good husband" are thinking of you all today- sons, daughters, grand-children and other members of your family with deeply-felt sympathy.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Otter
