Remembering Grandmom

As I look back through my life there have been many special women in my life, but none as special as my Grandmom, Mildred Nyce DeCarlo. Grandmom had an extraordinary life, she gave birth to six children, survived the depression, worked her fingers to the bone during World War II, and saw 15 Presidents take office. She always had a cookies in the cookie jar, and jellybeans at Easter.

Grandmom was born April 8, 1909 in Conshocken, Pennsylvania to James and Estelle Nyce. The only girl of four children. She left school in 1924 to work and Married my Dominic DeCarlo in 1930. She had six children between 1931 and 1943. In 1948 my grandfather died of cancer, leaving Grandmom to raise all six children alone. She never remarried! In her lifetime there had been many heartaches she lost 2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild to accidents, but never let that get her down.

My fondest memory of Grandmom was on my 10th Birthday when she had bought me a cake, and had the waitresses at the restaurant we were eating bring it to me and sing Happy Birthday! Grandmom was very easy to talk and we often talked about her younger days as a flapper, and many other moments of her life! Her best piece of advice that she ever gave to me was " to be the best person that you can be, and that will take you far in life".

Grandmom died December 10, 2000 at 91 years old! I miss her today just as much as I did when she died. I often look at my own children and see a little piece of Grandmom in them, and often think at how much she would have enjoyed them. Her legacy lives on through me and my children, and I take her words of wisdom with me from day to day!