Beulah was my Great Gram. Everyone originally called her Grandma Busier. When my sister and I were born, we couldn't say Grandma Busier so from then on, she was known to most as Grama Boo.
Grama Boo was the third child of Edward Jones and Daisy May (Reed) Berry. She was a lot closer to her brothers than her sister, Barbara, growing up. She used to tell me about her childhood and how gas costed 25 cents and bread ten cents compared to what it is now. She worked so hard and I was closer to her than any of the other five great grandparents that I was able to meet.
Grama Boo lived through the great depression. She met my great grandfather, Raymond Henry Busier at a dance. (My grandmother and her siblings aren't completely sure but all concluded this.) She instantly fell for him and they eventually married on January 24, 1942.
They got into a car accident a few years later. They were only bruised, I just wanted to point out that the newspaper article about it got their ages wrong, claiming that Grama Boo was 29 and Grampa Raymond, 22. He was actually 2 years older than her.
Around six months after their marriage, their first child, Conrad was born. They went on to have eight more children. In November of 1943 they had Gilman who everyone knows as Buzz. In 1945 they had Philip. In 1948, they had their first daughter, Susan. Her middle name was Hope because "they had hoped for a girl." Two years later, they had Doreen (my gram) who was supposedly named after one of Grampa Raymond's ex-girlfriends. Something she wasn't happy about- everyone calls her Dodie. Uncle Timmy was born in 1952. He passed away unexpectedly in 2007 and I will never forget how strong Grama Boo was throughout this ordeal. Following Timmy, they had Stephen in 1954, Brian in 1955, and then Ellen in 1961.
Grama Boo and Grampa Raymond divorced a few years after Ellen was born. He put his entire family through hell and not a single one of his children has anything nice to say about him. But my Grama Boo never once said a mean thing about him and several of us believe that she never stopped loving him. All of her children grew up extremely close to her mother, Grama Berry. She taught them everything there was to know abut cooking and passed down several family recipes with one of them being secret to this very day. The recipe skipped a generation so only Daisy, Doreen, and now I know it.
Grama Boo was briefly married to Harland Saunders in the 1970's. She worked in both the Hinesburg School system and at CVU High School as a supervisory aid. Everyone in the town of Hinesburg and beyond knew her due to this. I always like to tell people that she was tough as nails but also had the absolute kindest heart and sweetest soul. She was a huge part in raising my sister and I. When I was in kindergarten, she and I had a routine that remained unchanged until I started first grade and had to go to school for full days instead of just half. We always went to her favorite store, Lantman's Market, and got our lunch (and her socializing) before returning home to watch my favorite shows until my parents got home from work. She talked on the phone with her best friend Betty Pike for hours and sometimes Betty would be there when I got home. Betty passed away in 2003 and Grama never stopped talking about how much she missed her. I never had to make my bed (which was the best thing ever) because she would go through each room tidying everything before I got home.
I don't remember exactly what year it was when Grama Boo got into another car accident but it scared all of us. She was pulling into her driveway and was rear-ended by a tractor trailer. After rushing to her house, we opened her front door to her relaxing at her dining room table like nothing had just happened.
At the age of 85, she could run faster than me. Whenever we went somewhere and then dropped her off at home, one of us would walk her inside. It was not only freezing on this particular day, but snowing as well. She grabbed my arm and said "are you ready?" before running full speed ahead, laughing the entire way. I will never forget her laugh and I will never forget that day. She was one of my biggest supporters and one of my very best friends.
Whenever I showed up, no matter what time it was, Grama Boo would get so excited to see me. If I showed up at the times that my grama and Aunt Susan were there, they would also get excited because Grama Boo "was nicer" to them when I was around. I actually started eating my lunch there so that Grama Boo would eat. The sicker she got, the less foods she would eat. But for some reason, whenever I was eating, she would too.
I will never forget the night that I found out that Grama Boo was in the hospital. She had been admitted on Wednesday and I was not told until Thursday night. My Mom and I went to see her on Friday morning. I spent almost the entire day there until I had to leave to go to work. While getting ready for work with my heart in my throat, I was called by my boss who said I was not coming in that day, nor the next. I went back to the hospital and continued to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I lost my best friend at 1:25am.
My world changed without her. I struggled with the fact that she would not see me graduate in a few months. I didn't even want to walk at graduation. She wouldn't get to see me at my first year of college, and all I wanted was to hear how proud she was. The night before my high school graduation, I was handed a box. I opened it to a locket that said "Always in my heart" with some of Grama Boo's ashes inside. My most prized possession to this day. Grama Boo walked with me at graduation, and she will walk with me at my college graduation in 2019. I got to have almost eighteen years with her, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was so lucky to have the privilege of being her great granddaughter.
Grama Boo was the third child of Edward Jones and Daisy May (Reed) Berry. She was a lot closer to her brothers than her sister, Barbara, growing up. She used to tell me about her childhood and how gas costed 25 cents and bread ten cents compared to what it is now. She worked so hard and I was closer to her than any of the other five great grandparents that I was able to meet.
Grama Boo lived through the great depression. She met my great grandfather, Raymond Henry Busier at a dance. (My grandmother and her siblings aren't completely sure but all concluded this.) She instantly fell for him and they eventually married on January 24, 1942.
They got into a car accident a few years later. They were only bruised, I just wanted to point out that the newspaper article about it got their ages wrong, claiming that Grama Boo was 29 and Grampa Raymond, 22. He was actually 2 years older than her.
Around six months after their marriage, their first child, Conrad was born. They went on to have eight more children. In November of 1943 they had Gilman who everyone knows as Buzz. In 1945 they had Philip. In 1948, they had their first daughter, Susan. Her middle name was Hope because "they had hoped for a girl." Two years later, they had Doreen (my gram) who was supposedly named after one of Grampa Raymond's ex-girlfriends. Something she wasn't happy about- everyone calls her Dodie. Uncle Timmy was born in 1952. He passed away unexpectedly in 2007 and I will never forget how strong Grama Boo was throughout this ordeal. Following Timmy, they had Stephen in 1954, Brian in 1955, and then Ellen in 1961.
Grama Boo and Grampa Raymond divorced a few years after Ellen was born. He put his entire family through hell and not a single one of his children has anything nice to say about him. But my Grama Boo never once said a mean thing about him and several of us believe that she never stopped loving him. All of her children grew up extremely close to her mother, Grama Berry. She taught them everything there was to know abut cooking and passed down several family recipes with one of them being secret to this very day. The recipe skipped a generation so only Daisy, Doreen, and now I know it.
Grama Boo was briefly married to Harland Saunders in the 1970's. She worked in both the Hinesburg School system and at CVU High School as a supervisory aid. Everyone in the town of Hinesburg and beyond knew her due to this. I always like to tell people that she was tough as nails but also had the absolute kindest heart and sweetest soul. She was a huge part in raising my sister and I. When I was in kindergarten, she and I had a routine that remained unchanged until I started first grade and had to go to school for full days instead of just half. We always went to her favorite store, Lantman's Market, and got our lunch (and her socializing) before returning home to watch my favorite shows until my parents got home from work. She talked on the phone with her best friend Betty Pike for hours and sometimes Betty would be there when I got home. Betty passed away in 2003 and Grama never stopped talking about how much she missed her. I never had to make my bed (which was the best thing ever) because she would go through each room tidying everything before I got home.
I don't remember exactly what year it was when Grama Boo got into another car accident but it scared all of us. She was pulling into her driveway and was rear-ended by a tractor trailer. After rushing to her house, we opened her front door to her relaxing at her dining room table like nothing had just happened.
At the age of 85, she could run faster than me. Whenever we went somewhere and then dropped her off at home, one of us would walk her inside. It was not only freezing on this particular day, but snowing as well. She grabbed my arm and said "are you ready?" before running full speed ahead, laughing the entire way. I will never forget her laugh and I will never forget that day. She was one of my biggest supporters and one of my very best friends.
Whenever I showed up, no matter what time it was, Grama Boo would get so excited to see me. If I showed up at the times that my grama and Aunt Susan were there, they would also get excited because Grama Boo "was nicer" to them when I was around. I actually started eating my lunch there so that Grama Boo would eat. The sicker she got, the less foods she would eat. But for some reason, whenever I was eating, she would too.
I will never forget the night that I found out that Grama Boo was in the hospital. She had been admitted on Wednesday and I was not told until Thursday night. My Mom and I went to see her on Friday morning. I spent almost the entire day there until I had to leave to go to work. While getting ready for work with my heart in my throat, I was called by my boss who said I was not coming in that day, nor the next. I went back to the hospital and continued to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I lost my best friend at 1:25am.
My world changed without her. I struggled with the fact that she would not see me graduate in a few months. I didn't even want to walk at graduation. She wouldn't get to see me at my first year of college, and all I wanted was to hear how proud she was. The night before my high school graduation, I was handed a box. I opened it to a locket that said "Always in my heart" with some of Grama Boo's ashes inside. My most prized possession to this day. Grama Boo walked with me at graduation, and she will walk with me at my college graduation in 2019. I got to have almost eighteen years with her, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was so lucky to have the privilege of being her great granddaughter.
Beulah was my Great Gram. Everyone originally called her Grandma Busier. When my sister and I were born, we couldn't say Grandma Busier so from then on, she was known to most as Grama Boo.
Grama Boo was the third child of Edward Jones and Daisy May (Reed) Berry. She was a lot closer to her brothers than her sister, Barbara, growing up. She used to tell me about her childhood and how gas costed 25 cents and bread ten cents compared to what it is now. She worked so hard and I was closer to her than any of the other five great grandparents that I was able to meet.
Grama Boo lived through the great depression. She met my great grandfather, Raymond Henry Busier at a dance. (My grandmother and her siblings aren't completely sure but all concluded this.) She instantly fell for him and they eventually married on January 24, 1942.
They got into a car accident a few years later. They were only bruised, I just wanted to point out that the newspaper article about it got their ages wrong, claiming that Grama Boo was 29 and Grampa Raymond, 22. He was actually 2 years older than her.
Around six months after their marriage, their first child, Conrad was born. They went on to have eight more children. In November of 1943 they had Gilman who everyone knows as Buzz. In 1945 they had Philip. In 1948, they had their first daughter, Susan. Her middle name was Hope because "they had hoped for a girl." Two years later, they had Doreen (my gram) who was supposedly named after one of Grampa Raymond's ex-girlfriends. Something she wasn't happy about- everyone calls her Dodie. Uncle Timmy was born in 1952. He passed away unexpectedly in 2007 and I will never forget how strong Grama Boo was throughout this ordeal. Following Timmy, they had Stephen in 1954, Brian in 1955, and then Ellen in 1961.
Grama Boo and Grampa Raymond divorced a few years after Ellen was born. He put his entire family through hell and not a single one of his children has anything nice to say about him. But my Grama Boo never once said a mean thing about him and several of us believe that she never stopped loving him. All of her children grew up extremely close to her mother, Grama Berry. She taught them everything there was to know abut cooking and passed down several family recipes with one of them being secret to this very day. The recipe skipped a generation so only Daisy, Doreen, and now I know it.
Grama Boo was briefly married to Harland Saunders in the 1970's. She worked in both the Hinesburg School system and at CVU High School as a supervisory aid. Everyone in the town of Hinesburg and beyond knew her due to this. I always like to tell people that she was tough as nails but also had the absolute kindest heart and sweetest soul. She was a huge part in raising my sister and I. When I was in kindergarten, she and I had a routine that remained unchanged until I started first grade and had to go to school for full days instead of just half. We always went to her favorite store, Lantman's Market, and got our lunch (and her socializing) before returning home to watch my favorite shows until my parents got home from work. She talked on the phone with her best friend Betty Pike for hours and sometimes Betty would be there when I got home. Betty passed away in 2003 and Grama never stopped talking about how much she missed her. I never had to make my bed (which was the best thing ever) because she would go through each room tidying everything before I got home.
I don't remember exactly what year it was when Grama Boo got into another car accident but it scared all of us. She was pulling into her driveway and was rear-ended by a tractor trailer. After rushing to her house, we opened her front door to her relaxing at her dining room table like nothing had just happened.
At the age of 85, she could run faster than me. Whenever we went somewhere and then dropped her off at home, one of us would walk her inside. It was not only freezing on this particular day, but snowing as well. She grabbed my arm and said "are you ready?" before running full speed ahead, laughing the entire way. I will never forget her laugh and I will never forget that day. She was one of my biggest supporters and one of my very best friends.
Whenever I showed up, no matter what time it was, Grama Boo would get so excited to see me. If I showed up at the times that my grama and Aunt Susan were there, they would also get excited because Grama Boo "was nicer" to them when I was around. I actually started eating my lunch there so that Grama Boo would eat. The sicker she got, the less foods she would eat. But for some reason, whenever I was eating, she would too.
I will never forget the night that I found out that Grama Boo was in the hospital. She had been admitted on Wednesday and I was not told until Thursday night. My Mom and I went to see her on Friday morning. I spent almost the entire day there until I had to leave to go to work. While getting ready for work with my heart in my throat, I was called by my boss who said I was not coming in that day, nor the next. I went back to the hospital and continued to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I lost my best friend at 1:25am.
My world changed without her. I struggled with the fact that she would not see me graduate in a few months. I didn't even want to walk at graduation. She wouldn't get to see me at my first year of college, and all I wanted was to hear how proud she was. The night before my high school graduation, I was handed a box. I opened it to a locket that said "Always in my heart" with some of Grama Boo's ashes inside. My most prized possession to this day. Grama Boo walked with me at graduation, and she will walk with me at my college graduation in 2019. I got to have almost eighteen years with her, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was so lucky to have the privilege of being her great granddaughter.
Grama Boo was the third child of Edward Jones and Daisy May (Reed) Berry. She was a lot closer to her brothers than her sister, Barbara, growing up. She used to tell me about her childhood and how gas costed 25 cents and bread ten cents compared to what it is now. She worked so hard and I was closer to her than any of the other five great grandparents that I was able to meet.
Grama Boo lived through the great depression. She met my great grandfather, Raymond Henry Busier at a dance. (My grandmother and her siblings aren't completely sure but all concluded this.) She instantly fell for him and they eventually married on January 24, 1942.
They got into a car accident a few years later. They were only bruised, I just wanted to point out that the newspaper article about it got their ages wrong, claiming that Grama Boo was 29 and Grampa Raymond, 22. He was actually 2 years older than her.
Around six months after their marriage, their first child, Conrad was born. They went on to have eight more children. In November of 1943 they had Gilman who everyone knows as Buzz. In 1945 they had Philip. In 1948, they had their first daughter, Susan. Her middle name was Hope because "they had hoped for a girl." Two years later, they had Doreen (my gram) who was supposedly named after one of Grampa Raymond's ex-girlfriends. Something she wasn't happy about- everyone calls her Dodie. Uncle Timmy was born in 1952. He passed away unexpectedly in 2007 and I will never forget how strong Grama Boo was throughout this ordeal. Following Timmy, they had Stephen in 1954, Brian in 1955, and then Ellen in 1961.
Grama Boo and Grampa Raymond divorced a few years after Ellen was born. He put his entire family through hell and not a single one of his children has anything nice to say about him. But my Grama Boo never once said a mean thing about him and several of us believe that she never stopped loving him. All of her children grew up extremely close to her mother, Grama Berry. She taught them everything there was to know abut cooking and passed down several family recipes with one of them being secret to this very day. The recipe skipped a generation so only Daisy, Doreen, and now I know it.
Grama Boo was briefly married to Harland Saunders in the 1970's. She worked in both the Hinesburg School system and at CVU High School as a supervisory aid. Everyone in the town of Hinesburg and beyond knew her due to this. I always like to tell people that she was tough as nails but also had the absolute kindest heart and sweetest soul. She was a huge part in raising my sister and I. When I was in kindergarten, she and I had a routine that remained unchanged until I started first grade and had to go to school for full days instead of just half. We always went to her favorite store, Lantman's Market, and got our lunch (and her socializing) before returning home to watch my favorite shows until my parents got home from work. She talked on the phone with her best friend Betty Pike for hours and sometimes Betty would be there when I got home. Betty passed away in 2003 and Grama never stopped talking about how much she missed her. I never had to make my bed (which was the best thing ever) because she would go through each room tidying everything before I got home.
I don't remember exactly what year it was when Grama Boo got into another car accident but it scared all of us. She was pulling into her driveway and was rear-ended by a tractor trailer. After rushing to her house, we opened her front door to her relaxing at her dining room table like nothing had just happened.
At the age of 85, she could run faster than me. Whenever we went somewhere and then dropped her off at home, one of us would walk her inside. It was not only freezing on this particular day, but snowing as well. She grabbed my arm and said "are you ready?" before running full speed ahead, laughing the entire way. I will never forget her laugh and I will never forget that day. She was one of my biggest supporters and one of my very best friends.
Whenever I showed up, no matter what time it was, Grama Boo would get so excited to see me. If I showed up at the times that my grama and Aunt Susan were there, they would also get excited because Grama Boo "was nicer" to them when I was around. I actually started eating my lunch there so that Grama Boo would eat. The sicker she got, the less foods she would eat. But for some reason, whenever I was eating, she would too.
I will never forget the night that I found out that Grama Boo was in the hospital. She had been admitted on Wednesday and I was not told until Thursday night. My Mom and I went to see her on Friday morning. I spent almost the entire day there until I had to leave to go to work. While getting ready for work with my heart in my throat, I was called by my boss who said I was not coming in that day, nor the next. I went back to the hospital and continued to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I lost my best friend at 1:25am.
My world changed without her. I struggled with the fact that she would not see me graduate in a few months. I didn't even want to walk at graduation. She wouldn't get to see me at my first year of college, and all I wanted was to hear how proud she was. The night before my high school graduation, I was handed a box. I opened it to a locket that said "Always in my heart" with some of Grama Boo's ashes inside. My most prized possession to this day. Grama Boo walked with me at graduation, and she will walk with me at my college graduation in 2019. I got to have almost eighteen years with her, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was so lucky to have the privilege of being her great granddaughter.
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