My Grandma Bunny

Nearly 2 weeks ago, when we were traveling in Germany and Switzerland for our spring break trip, I got the news that my Grandma Bunny had passed away. Her husband, my Grandpa Lefty, just passed away in February, and since they never did like spending time apart, she joined him in heaven just 51 days later. I really wished I could have made it home again, as I did for Grandpa’s funeral, but it was just too soon. Also, I think it’s better to have gotten to see her and talk to her in February, than to attend her funeral in April. My Dad and I visited her in the nursing home the day before Grandpa’s funeral and we had a nice conversation about Italy. She wanted to know how we were liking it and what we thought of the people. Her and my Grandpa cruised the Mediterranean and she said when they went into port, she thought the Italians were rude! She asked about our kids and Steve. She said she wasn’t feeling well that day but that she was going to be feeling well the next day because she wasn’t going to miss Grandpa’s funeral. I will always remember her strength and sense of humor and will cherish our many conversations about their life as newlyweds during World War 2 and their golden years spent traveling the world. I already miss her but I know that they can’t be anywhere but together now.

Here are some fabulous pictures of her when she was young. I have many memories as a child, sitting on their L-shaped couch, flipping through album after album, thinking how absolutely beautiful my Grandma was, and hearing all the stories to go with the pictures. Thankfully, my cousin Stacy and her husband, Steve, spent time scanning many of the pictures to share with the whole family. And when I was 20, my Dad and I took Grandma and Grandpa back to Glendale, where they showed us the houses they lived in there, and the corner where my Grandpa sort of proposed to her, and the church they were married in. We took pictures and Dad took video of them talking about the houses and the sort of proposal.

 

Below: not really sure what’s going on here, but it looks like one helluva good time!

Top, left: my Grandma Bunny with her mom, Lavine, known as “Nana” to her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren. I have some vague memories of her since she passed away when I was only 4. She was my only living Great-Grandparent. My children both had 5 Great-Grandparents when they were born, and since we moved to Italy 9 months ago, we’ve lost 3 of them, Steve’s Paternal Grandpa passed away about a week after we arrived and both my Paternal Grandma and Grandpa in the last 2 months.

Below: Bunny in Mommy mode. The poor woman had 4 kids in 6 years!!! My Dad is the youngest and she was just 28 years old when he was born! When I was 28, I only had one child! The boat below is the “Queen B” named for my Grandma of course and is the source of many fond memories for my Dad who grew up spending weekends boating to Catalina Island.

One time when I was in college and was visiting with my Grandparents at their house, I was flipping through their albums and they were telling me the stories to go with some of the pictures. I came across this bill (below) and Grandma explained that it was the bill from the first night of their honeymoon. They stayed one night at the Los Angeles Biltmore (also the hotel where my Debutante Ball was in 1999 and how I met Steve) and then using some gas ration coupons that they received as wedding presents (it was wartime and gas was being rationed), they drove up to Big Bear Lake for a few more honeymoon nights before Grandpa’s leave was up. They saved this bill and a stolen “Do Not Disturb” sign from the Biltmore. She pointed out that the room cost only $9 and that they were charged 10 cents to make a phone call. The story of the phone call is that she called her mother as a practical joke to tell her and I quote “Mom, the rubber broke! What should we do!?” I don’t remember if I asked what her mother’s response was, I was too busy trying to get my jaw to close. But my Grandma was nothing if not funny!!

Below: Pictures from Grandma’s funeral taken and sent to me by family friend Bill, who grew up across the street from my Grandparents.

Here is the lovely biography, written by my cousin Stacy and read at the funeral on Friday, April 19th.

Biography of “Bunny” Harris

Pierceia Estelle Baker, lovingly known as Bunny, was born February 17, 1924 in Racine, Wisconsin to William and Lavine (la-VINE) Baker. The second of two children, her sister, Connie, was 3 ½ years older. As a young girl she lived in Peoria, Illinois. Her childhood had its challenges as her mother and father were divorced before she was 5. Her parents’ relationship was such that it made it difficult for her father to see her much. She was 11 the last time she saw him.  Summers were always a special time for Bunny. She would spend them at her grandparents farm in Ridgeway, Illinois, which had no running water or electricity. She dearly loved her grandfather and would often ride in the buggy with him, fetch him water or go horseback riding with him. She greatly enjoyed farm life. Her sister, Connie, however, didn’t care much for animals or the farm; she would stay indoors with Grandma and cook while Bunny was outdoors running wild with Grandpa.  In July 1940, Bunny’s mother, newly remarried, moved the family to Glendale, California. Bunny, who was 16 at the time, started her high school experience at Glendale High in the fall. It was there that she wore that famous purple polka dot dress that unknowingly had such an impact on that year’s class of seniors. One young man in particular became transfixed and wouldn’t rest until he found out who she was. He somehow managed to get her name and address, convinced a friend to be his wingman, and went to her the next night. He was smitten. Bunny was already dating someone at the time, but this Lefty fellow nevertheless started to get her attention.  Lefty played his cards well. First, he always seemed to be showing up at the house and managed to became good friends with Bunny’s Mom Lavine. While Bunny was out on a date, Lavine and Lefty would sit up together, waiting up for her to return. Lefty was even sure to turn out the porch light as soon as Bunny walked up to the door so that the hapless beau wouldn’t be inclined to linger there. If Bunny tried playing hard to get, she wasn’t very good at it. Before long she and Lefty Harris were inseparable.  They enjoyed dating a for a few months and then World War II was upon them. Lefty graduated early, joined the war effort and was stationed in Texas. Their relationship became one mainly of correspondence. On one of his home leaves while they were taking a walk, they sat down for a moment on the corner. “When we get married…..” Lefty started. “When we get married?” Bunny echoed back, wanting to be sure she heard what she thought she did. And that would suffice for a proposal!  While Lefty was back in Texas, Lavine picked out a ring and sent it to him. He wrapped it and sent it on back to Bunny. They couldn’t set a wedding date until they knew when Lefty would be able to get a leave. At the last minute he was granted a few weeks in December and so Bunny rushed and planned a wedding in just 3 weeks. They were married December 18, 1943.  The first year of their marriage they lived in Boise, Idaho where Lefty was training in air navigation. Bunny worked at a newspaper; she was skilled at short hand. Once the war was over they settled back into Glendale, CA, living with her sister Connie and her husband Mike for a short while. Their family began to grow. Kirk was born in 1946, then Claudia, then Wendy and finally Brian.  On October 2, 1950 they moved into their house on Buena Vista St. in Burbank. They were the original owners. Their neighborhood became an extended family as all the other neighbors were also raising their families. Bunny was content raising her children and keeping her house. Lefty had no illusions as to who ruled that roost! But initially business was left to Lefty. Around this time he and his business partner Louis Betzol, founded a metal shop called Arrow Die Casting. The two of them ran it for many years. When Louis developed cancer and died, Lefty was in need of help in the office. Bunny gave up the homelife and stepped in as Vice President of Arrow Die Casting. Lefty quickly realized he could depend on her both at home and at work.  In her rare quiet time Bunny was an avid reader; she especially enjoy historical fiction. Her neighbors commented on how they would see Bunny’s reading light in the window late at night and that it gave them comfort as they fell asleep. In her later years, once she and Lefty retired, they would traveled often. They bought a condo on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Kona coast and spent months there at a time. And they traveled the world, often by cruise. Bunny would always read up on the history before hand, and off they would go to explore the new world together. She and Lefty never traveled apart from one another.  Las Vegas was another favorite destination. Once while in Vegas Bunny hit a jackpot. Rather than blowing her winnings, she calmly put all the money into savings. Many years later, once the family had grown and all her grandchildren were in the picture, she wanted to celebrate their 50^th anniversary with a Caribbean Cruise – and bring the entire family! Lefty must have gotten dizzy and had to clear his throat. But Bunny told him not to fret. Her long banked Vegas winnings would foot the bill. There were several other family cruises after that. Lefty was probably justified in sweating over some of those.
Family was a huge priority her entire life. From her days on the farm with her grandparents, to the days raising her own children, to the later years surrounded by dozens of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nothing gave her greater pleasure than being with her family and celebrating special occasions together with them. And celebrating an event on any day other than on the actual date was inconceivable to her. She so loved her family. Even in her last years when she was bed-ridden and in constant pain, “G-G-Ma” would always manage a smile and a kiss for a “G-G-kid.” She was the family matriarch and glue of the family. The boat she and Lefty would sail out of L.A. Harbor was The Queen B, which pretty much says it all. She left a tremendous legacy for her 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, and she will be missed very, very much.