Our lovely Tia Lupe known as Mary Guadalupe Gil passed away on October 7, 2009 at 3:35 am. To some she was known as grandmother, great grandmother and even great great grandmother. However, to me as she always put it, I was her daughter. She is such a kind lady, truly a lady in every sense of the word. She worked at the Restaurant for decades retiring in her 80's. She always had the most elegant clothes on, even if it was just because she was going to call a taxi to take her to downtown Provo. When I was a little girl in downtown Provo there was a Woolworth's and JC Penny's. The Penny's had a candy counter in the middle of the first floor. The Woolworth's had animals like birdies and fishies that we loved to see. She would take us after we, more specifically I, begged and begged. She was always afraid that if she took us out by herself we would wonder, get lost or even worse get kidnapped. After walking around downtown we would eat at the soda fountain/pharmacy or walk to the Village Inn that was next to the old Hotel Roberts which has also been torn down. Those were wonderful days in my childhood. As I got older and was able to drive I would take Tia to stay in hotel's in California. She liked to stay at the Little America. Truth be told she liked any hotel, any adventure and any excuse to go out. She believed that money was to be used for spending.
Tia had a stroke almost a week before she passed away. She was 92 years old and this still caught us off guard. She was in the hospital long enough that her only son was able to tell her he loved her, her grandchildren could come to see her from California and until she was ready to go. I was the only person with her when she passed, and even as I express these simple words, they do not express the true feelings of love that I had and continue having for her. Let us just say that I was the only one in the room with her when she passed but we were not alone. It was a blessing, honor and privilege to walk by her, look up to her, support her, care for her, as she did all these things for me as her daughter. In reality although the legal title between us is great aunt and great niece (because she was my grandfather's only living sister), to me she was my grandmother, one of my best friends and confidants.
There are so many wonderful memories of Tia Lupe that perhaps I could write them but I know that I could never do justice to express in words what I really feel.
Tia passed away on the 7th of October and Mamá Felicitas went sepsis on us the following Friday. She had to have a surgery and then was admitted to the ICU for a few days. She missed the funeral and slowly recovered, In doing so she realized that my Tia was really gone. There's was a relationship of that of Ruth and Naomi in the Old Testament. Two women of faith that although did not share blood shared the unifying gift of love. Grandma was merely 15 when she married and Tia was 12 years older. They lived together for almost 60 years. This separation was the most difficult to watch. Yet, I know there is a plan for each of us. One that can not be rushed or controlled. It is what it is, what we need the most and that is why these things happen.
Below are pictures of Tia in her apartment on her 90th birthday. Grandma was there and we took advantage that so many great grandchildren were around to share this.
Families are Forever, I know this better now then I did at the beginning of the year.
Papá said grandma was as strong as an oak tree, in my opinion they are both women as strong as oaks . . . and that is the truth.
