My grandfather slowly declined over a period of several years, and he was on hospice care for several months preceding his death. My grandma, in contrast, had just been to the doctor's office a week before she died and had been given a clean bill of health. Her caretaker, Remy, said that they were up on New Year's Eve laughing and having a fun time watching the ball drop in Times Square. She started feeling ill early on the morning of January 1st and told Remy to call an ambulance, which she did. She was at the hospital for around 24 hours and passed away at 7:30 a.m. on January 2nd, which was my grandparents' anniversary. It would have been 64 years. From what we were told, she was diagnosed with septicemia, although she hadn't had a fever or any symptoms of infection prior to New Year's Day. The doctors and nurses tried to keep her blood pressure up but were ultimately unsuccessful. Three of her five children were with her when she died at the hospital.
My grandma was, and is, the most amazing person I have ever known. I was blessed to spend lots of time with her growing up, as my grandparents were very involved in my life from my birth. We had lots of fun family vacations together. When I was in junior high and high school, I would spend months in the summer at my grandparents' house. I learned so much about music through her. She introduced me to the Gershwins, Sousa, Cohen, Benny Goodman, Irving Berlin, Chopin, and other composers. She had an electric piano and a baby grand in her living room, and we would play music together with me playing the written parts and my grandma filling in with chords and embellished accompaniment. She had a truly brilliant musical mind and could play with equal ease by ear or by sight.
Aside from her many talents, my grandma had the most incredible personality. She was so warm and happy and truly joyful to be around. One of the speakers at her funeral service was a young woman when my grandma was serving as a youth leader at church, and she talked about how all the youth at that time stayed involved in church and loved coming because they knew that Sister Landgren loved them and cared about them. She truly did care about and love people, and they could feel it.
Another speaker at her funeral, a longtime friend of my grandparents, said that he was constantly hearing from roundabout sources things that my grandma was doing to help people. He calculated that my grandma must have woken up in the morning and decided who she was going to help that day and how in order to be able to touch all those lives through her service. That's just who my grandma was. Always thinking of others, never out of vanity or a desire to be recognized, just from pure loving kindness and genuine concern. This world was a better place because of her presence in it.
It was hard to say goodbye, not only to my grandparents, but to their home. I spent so much time there growing up that it was truly like a second home to me. Now with my grandma's death, my grandparents' home of more than fifty years, which all their children grew up in, will be sold. It was hard to say goodbye to that house.
These pictures were taken with my grandma in November at my grandfather's funeral.
Here is Emmie on the plane. Our flight out to Chicago was in the afternoon, but even though it was naptime she was sufficiently awed by the change in surroundings that she didn't sleep. She was really good though- I can't complain at all. On the way back home, our flight departed at 9:40 p.m. which was WAAAY past her bedtime. She had the hardest time settling down but finally after about an hour or so, she laid down on two empty seats and fell asleep. The boys fell asleep also on the way back. They did great on both flights. My mom and siblings were on the plane with us so they helped occupy the boys, which was extremely helpful.
This is a picture of my grandma's famous jewelry tree. She had this displayed prominently in her living room for as long as I can remember.
Both my cousins were there for the funeral, but we didn't get to spend much time with them since they flew in on Friday and we flew out on Saturday. We definitely need to get together sometime under happier circumstances just to catch up and let our kids play.
This is Benjy wearing a Mexican outfit I found in my grandma's basement. Clearly, he was not happy about having to put it on. My grandma is half Mexican and we found a number of Mexican costumes and mementos in her cedar chest which I would love to know the story behind. I guess I will have to tuck those questions away until I have a chance to ask her someday.
This is a copy of the obituary in the paper:
Janie Landgren
Obituary
JANIE G. LANDGREN, 82 ROCKFORD - Janie G. Landgren 82, passed away peacefully at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, surrounded by her family. She was born July 28, 1932, to Andres and Minnie Gonzalez of El Paso, TX. She is preceded by her husband of 63 years, John D. Landgren. They were married Jan. 2, 1951, in the LDS Temple in Mesa, AZ. She is survived by her 5 children; 10 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; and her brother, William J. Gonzalez, of Chandler, AZ. She was a loving and devoted mother to Kristin Landgren, Los Angeles, Arthur Landgren, Rockford, Nancy Piper (Arthur Piper) Loves Park, John D. Landgren, Jr. and Richard C. Landgren, (Lynnette), Phoenix. She graduated from Austin High School in El Paso, TX in 1949, where she was named Most Popular girl in 1945, and was Princess of Austin in Action Prom. She was a charter member of the A Cappella Choir, which with she sang for four years and received the Gold Medal Music Award upon graduation in 1949. After graduation, she worked for her brother, A. C. Gonzalez, J.D., as legal assistant. She was a professional singer in Champaign, IL while supporting John in pursuit of his Civil Engineering degree at the University of Illinois. She dedicated her life to service in the LDS church. She played the lead role in the musical production, Promised Valley, served as President of the Young Women's Organization and was a leader in musical organizations in the LDS church. She enjoyed knitting, crafting and was a talented pianist. She shared her talent of journal writing as historian of the local LDS ward, as well as personal journal writing for her family. The community benefited from her knitting and quilting skills as she donated hats to the hospital neonatal units and scarves and blankets to homeless shelters and mental illness facilities. She was loved and respected by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 620 N. Alpine Rd., Rockford. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Scandinavian Cemetery. Arrangements by Sundberg Funeral Home, Ltd., Rockford, IL. Online condolences may be left at www.sundbergfh.com.
- See more at:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/rrstar/obituary.aspx?n=janie-landgren&pid=173756676&fhid=10164
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