Goodbye Granny (Ally)

Granny and I have spent most of our lives separated by vast distances. Yet, I have always felt a tremendous sense of connection with her throughout my life and she has inspired me in many ways. And the brief and wonderful family re-unions where we spent time together are memories I will always cherish deeply.

As kids we would always receive a telegram for our birthdays (she never forgot a birthday) and Christmas parcels were eagerly awaited as she would make us knitted bed socks with ribbons. I loved going to bed at night with those warming my feet.

My clearest childhood memory of our trips to Zimbabwe is of us all sitting under a tree having sundowner drinks and just chatting and laughing together as a family. Needless to say sundowners is a great family tradition and it lives on.

Granny was not a demonstrative women but when her blue eyes sparkled and she gave her chuckle you knew you had delighted her deeply. Ker and I were able to spend time with Granny over this past Christmas and enjoyed making her laugh and catching up with her so much. It is a memory we will hold close to our hearts forever. Sparkly blue eyes run in the family – only last year, when it was dad’s birthday, she was reminiscing about how time had flown. She said, in her exact words, she “couldn’t think that it was 60 years since a curly haired, blue eyed, two dimpled little person was running around”. I am sure she was reminiscing about all her children.

Granny loved all her family very deeply and was very proud of us. She took great pains to trace our family tree and the photo collage she received for her 80th birthday was very special to her. It was particularly special for me watching her get to meet her great granddaughter, Lovelle, at Christmans. She commented to me that she liked the idea that more girls were being born into the Hoar clan. She loved all her boys very much but was tickled with the idea of balancing all that testorone with a little bit of feminity.

The friends she made at Blue Kerry were like a family to her too. She was always telling me how they shared magazines, family stories and photos. Whenever someone travelled, there was huge excitement as letters could be anticipated. It was wonderful to know that she was surrounded by such caring and generous people.

Granny and I saw each other far too seldom but we did connect regulary through letters. I would always eagerly await her next epistle (a word I learned from her!) and it was often through her written words that I learned what a truly resourceful, determined, optimistic and remarkable women she was. To illustate, here is one of my favourite quotes from a letter she sent me just last year:

“Fuel has been so short here in Zimbabwe. I managed to get 30 litres the other day. I spent 5 hours in the queue, which was about a mile long. It was great that I got fuel as I was able to go to work, hadn’t been for nearly a month. My boss works from home and it is like being in the country. But sadly I have to give it up – mainly because I will be selling my car. This is too luxurious to keep, mine’s a Renault 12 1974 and spares are almost unobtainable or costing thousands. I’m not looking forward to it, my independence will be gone which I have so enjoyed, but that is life. Sorry to tell you all this but we all keep smiling and mustn’t loose our sense of humour and so we jog on”

What inspiring words from an 86 year old!! Her resilience and optimism is a legacy that inspired all who knew and loved her.
And so we jog on with a smile on our faces – and a twinkle in our blue eyes - thankful that we all knew and loved such a wonderful person. She will always be part of me.
Beautiful words from Glen
One of the many great memories I have of Granny began many years ago when we were little boys. As the sun went down and the sky went dark she would get us to look at the first star in the sky. The evening star she called it.

Ever since then wherever I have been in the world, I have always thought of Granny when I have looked up to search for the evening star. I have since told our two little boys about the evening star, so your tradition Granny now lives on. Every time we look up and search for the evening star, we will think of you.