Sadness Wrapped in Beauty
We were at the beach for an extended weekend to celebrate Barry’s birthday when we got the call that my grandma’s health had taken a turn. I was advised, by my family and grandma, not to cut the trip short and enjoy the time with our friends. I felt very torn about what to do, but ultimately decided to stay the final night as we’d originally planned. That evening, I really didn’t feel like going to the beach to watch the sunset, I was too busy feeling sad, but Nicole encouraged me to go. Just as the previous nights on the beach had made me feel so alive and blessedly full of life, that final night had a different, more calming, tone. Mother Nature put on a spectacular show, reminding me that sadness and beauty can go hand-in-hand. Who knew that in the coming days, as I got to say goodbye to my grandma in the most special way, I’d notice the beauty, beneath the sadness, in her way of dying. We tell Maggie when she’s sad after a play date, that it means she had a really great time with her friend. Well, I think my grandma must have been a great play date for me, because I’m sad it’s over. And that’s a beautiful thing.
“She leaves a legacy of learning and love that spans generations.”
I hope that someday soon I’ll be able to share some of my favorite memories of my Grandma, but for now I’d like to share her obituary. She truly was extraordinary.
June 28, 1930-Sept. 16, 2014
Georgia Mae Belford Elvrum , born June 28, 1930 in Devils Lake, North Dakota, to George and Nellie Belford, passed away peacefully September 16, 2014 in Alderwood Manor, Washington.
She left us in the warmth of her home of 52 years, in the midst of flowers, songs, laughter, tears and a loving family.
Georgia Mae, the youngest of five daughters, grew up on a farm on Sweetwater Lake in North Dakota. Her first teacher was her sister, Margaret Belford Burgess, who taught in a one room schoolhouse.Georgia later began her own teaching career in that same schoolhouse.
In 1945, Georgia Belford met her future husband, Phillip Elvrum at Devils Lake High School. They married in 1951 and spent the next 63 years together in a loving marriage.
After moving to Washington State in 1954, Georgia continued her teaching career in the Edmonds School District where, with uncommon dedication and enthusiasm, she taught Kindergarten and Special Education for many years.
Georgia Mae loved her grandchildren, gardening, travel, theater, roses, reading, October in Kona and Winnie the Pooh.
She leaves a legacy of learning and love that spans generations.
Georgia Mae is survived by beloved husband, Phillip M. Elvrum; son, Philip G. Elvrum and his wife Janet Lowman Elvrum; grandson, Izak Elvrum; grandson, Phillip W. Elvrum and his wife Geneviève Castrée; granddaughter, Hannah Elvrum and her husband Barry Miller; great-granddaughters, Maggie Mae and Audrey Bell Miller; daughter, Susan Elvrum and her husband Steve Glass; granddaughters, Chaya and Cora Glass; many nephews, nieces and a large closely knit family.
She is preceded in death by her four sisters, the irrepressible Belford Girls.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 19, 2014 at 1 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church 2316 180th Street SE, Bothell, WA 98012.
The funeral will be followed by a reception at the church.
In lieu of flowers to honor Georgia, the family requests donations to Children’s Hospital and Hospice.
” May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door. ”
