My grandmother's favorite saying was that you had to take the
bitter with the sweet. She had a lot of bitter in her life,
having lost three of her eight children in her life time. Her
name was Alice Argabright. Her mother was a fiery little Irish woman named Rhoda Clover who married a phlegmatic
Dutchman. She was the best grandmother ever. A constant
supplier of apple pie, sugar cookies and doughnuts.

She joined my grandfather who homesteaded in a covered wagon
by train. Looking back, I spent a great lot of my first
seven years in her lap. I adored her and aspired to be like
her in her even temperament and optomistic outlook.

Her grown children brought their problems to her and she was
always there for them. My grandfather was a little jealous
because the neighbor men always stopped by to visit her when
they had a reason to go to town. I can see her plainly in
my minds eye now. She was little and thin with a head full
of white curls. I still miss her and sometimes dream she
dropped in for a visit.

The text for her funeral service was, "Sweet in the Sight
of the Lord is the death of one of his saints". It is from
the Bible but I have forgotten where.

She lives in my memory and I am sorry that my children never
knew her. She and my father taught me about unconditional
love.