Belva Emily Patterson (Orr)

My dear, sweet Grandma Patterson passed away this morning after a hard-fought battle with cancer and other pains and illnesses. It still seems unreal to me. She was such a strong lady.

I wanted to write a few of my memories of her. She was so organized and always had things planned out so well. She never forgot a birthday or special occasion. I could always tell it was her handwriting on the cards and letters she would send. Whenever we would have a family reunion or get-together, she would have things scheduled to the minute and everyone had their various assignments. She kept an immaculate house. Everything was where it should be and labelled accordingly.

She was such a comfort to me when I was at BYU. It was my first real time away from home and I struggled. She was always there. She didn't judge me when I came over on a Friday night to do laundry and watch MASH with them because all my roommates were out on dates and I couldn't stand to stay home. She cooked me so many hearty meals when I just couldn't eat at the cafeteria any more. I probably did more loads of laundry at her house than she did. Her home was always a safe place for me. When I first had ulcerative colitis, she took care of me. She put up with my grumpiness and my sickness and made me feel that I would be okay. She took me to all my doctor appointments and served me food and turned on movies for me. I look back on that time and know I couldn't have done it without her.

We got to go to so many cultural and artistic events together while I was at school - Grandpa often gave up his ticket so that Grandma and I could go together. What fun memories of seeing Anne of Green Gables and The Christmas Carol together at the Hale theatre and of her taking me shopping for a fancy dress for my first big dance at BYU, or her taking me grocery shopping or sending food home with me or letting me invite my friends over or celebrating all the Canadian holidays during the school year, or how she always had such fun things to play with in her backyard. She even let Ryan stay at her house when he came down to Utah to propose to me and put up with our lovey doviness.

Grandma was often to be found in the background, preparing meals, cleaning up, making arrangments/schedules/reservations - all so that we could all enjoy ourselves without having to worry about all the details. She always got tickets to the best shows and took pains to give us all the culture we needed. She set such a quiet but powerful example of goodness. She never complained or talked badly of others. I can't ever remember her saying an unkind word - even when she watched over us as little children while my parents were away. She commanded respect, but in such a kind way.

It was so great to have Grandma and Grandpa living in Edmonton again while they were at the temple. It was so nice to have them at all our family functions and to have them here for the birth of our girls. I will cherish those times.

Even though I knew her for a long time, I wish I had known her better. I wonder sometimes how she felt when she was a young mother with 4 sons and my grandpa probably wasn't home a lot. I wonder how she felt when she fell in love with grandpa and he wasn't a member of the church yet. One thing I do know was that she knew that we loved her. I know that she is not in pain anymore. I know that I will miss her and that this will hit me harder as the days go on, but I know that I will see her again and that she is enjoying happy reunions right now.