A Grandmother with a Zest for Living

I have decided to devote this week’s column to talk about a life-long Waukesha resident who is near and dear to me, none other than my grandma.  I joke that my grandma may be one person that is more active in the community than myself.  It is my hope that when I am 90, I will be still as active/more active in the community than I am currently.

There are many things I remember and know about my grandma Edith Granatella.  I recall the Christmas Eves spent at Grandma’s house, gathering with family, eating a very tasty Christmas dinner which usually includes Grandma’s famous fruit salad and many jars of black olives, and opening gifts.  On several occasions, Grandma has taken me out to lunch at a local Waukesha restaurant where we’ve had more one-on-one conversations.  Grandma’s passion for the Green Bay Packers is also highlighted in my mind as a socializing activity, i.e., watching the game at either her or our house or, in general, conversation about the Pack.

As of late, I remember talks with Grandma about musical theatre presentations she has attended or bus tours that she has been part of.  Many of these day-long road trips are organized for seniors by the Waukesha County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry. My grandma has also stayed active playing bridge with friends.

It isn’t just recently, however that Grandma has been involved in the community.  I learned yesterday, as family and friends gathered at the 5 O’clock Club on Pewaukee Lake to celebrate grandma’s 90^th birthday, that she has held numerous leadership positions as part of the Waukesha Jaycettes, the Waukesha Hospital Board and the former Waukesha Symphony Auxiliary.  She taught Sunday school at the in Waukesha, which she would consider her home church.  She also volunteered for the PTA at Hadfield, the school where her three children attended.

My grandma is happily married to her husband, Tony Granatella.  They met each other while playing bridge at the Schuetze building in Waukesha (Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schuetze were her aunt and uncle).  It is good to see two people so much in love with each other!  Tony has many encouraging and witty kind things to say about his love for my grandma! 

It was fitting that we all, 19 in total, gathered to celebrate my grandma’s 90^th around a dinner table.  Grandma, Tony and friends eat out at a few different food hot spots in Waukesha including Dennys, the Waukesha Chancery, Culvers, and Canyon City.  Grandma said that her first date with Tony was at the Thunder Bay Grill in Pewaukee, which was also the location of their engagement dinner.  A passion for good eating must have been handed down to me from her!

It is also fitting that I am writing a column about her life in a news publication.  My grandma is an avid reader of several area news publications.  (Where does she find time to read the newspaper?) 

I informed my grandma that this column is going to be my birthday gift to her!  Therefore, I will close this column with a dedication to my grandma, Edith Granatella. 

Your energy and your zest for living at the age of 90 are an encouragement to me.  You have paved the way for me in your volunteerism and spirit of giving to the community!  The love and patience that you show to Tony and to everyone you meet inspires me to love others.  Thank you, Grandma, for being not only one of my heroes, but a shining example for the Waukesha community.