day of the dead

Every other year or so (or maybe it's every third year?), our town does a cemetery walk. If you really paid attention to this blog (it's fine that you didn't!) you might remember that Liam, Max, and I went to the very first one back in 2009 with my mom and Avalon. We haven't gone again since (the timing just hasn't worked out), but I made a point of going this year because my great-grandparents were one of the stops!

The Plymouth History Walk is a sort of reenactment of selected residents at the Oakhill Cemetery. This year, among others, there was a young Navy soldier who died during World War II, a soldier fighting the Indian War who may or may not have delivered Custer's final message from his last stand but definitely fathered ten kids afterward, and various other prominent townspeople. The best stop, of course, was the Jeffirs one. Great-Grandpa Jeff (his actual first name was Edmund) was played by my Uncle Kent, and Great-Grandma Ethel (who was much too formal for a nickname) was played by my Aunt Janis.

They did a wonderful job! They told the story of how Grandpa Jeff went into business with his dad and built Indiana Motor Bus Company in the 1920s. He drove one of the buses, and one of the passengers was Grandma Ethel, whom he made eyes at in the mirror until finally asking her for a date. They talked about living in the big brick house on Michigan Street and hosting the whole town for a cookout after the Labor Day parade each year. They talked about my grandpa and his sisters, and how eventually Grandpa Jeff sold the bus company and decided to buy a car dealership, and as his father had done for him, went into business with his son (my grandpa). They described Grandma Ethel's looooong life and how she was a talented musician who gave accordion lessons, and eventually took up playing the harmonica again when she was 100 years old. (She was 102 when she died.)

The best part was that family members came from near and far, and we all did the tour together (except for Kent and Janis, of course). Gramps was there, along with my mom and dad and Loni and Jack; my uncles Mike, Mark, and Greg; my aunts Dana and Laura; and assorted cousins. It was really fun! Afterward, we all went to Ponderosa for dinner and took up a few of their big tables. A really great Sunday.

P.S. Janis is wearing Grandma Ethel's hat, gloves, fur, and jewelry; Kent is wearing Grandpa Jeff's hat. I love that we have these treasures in our family!