What are your Grandparents like?

[Crispy]

I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we discuss how are grandparents are/were like. I'll start!

Dad's side
Grandfather: My dad and his side of the family is Greek. My grandfather was born in 1912. He fought during World War II as part of the resistance. My father has told me many stories, including one where he was in a field running while a German plane was hunting him down. After a long time of dodging the attacks from the German Pilot, he gave up, saluted my grandfather, and left. After World War II he was arrested by the Communists, and interrogated. They would put him against the firing wall and fire blanks at him hoping he would crack. Later in his life he opened up a shop in Athens where my dad and his sister worked. He continued to walk to the market, read the paper, and just live life the way he enjoyed. He did this until he passed away three years ago.

Grandmother: While my grandfather was away during World War II, my grandmother continuously hid hundreds of Jewish people from the Nazi's. After that she continued to help my Grandfather. To this day she helps care for her daughter, and herself.

Mother's Side
Grandfather: I don't know much about my grandparents on my mothers side. My Grandfather was in the United States Air Force during Vietnam. He worked the electronics. He also worked down at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the time we were launching rockets left and right. He broke his knee bull riding when he was young, and continues to enjoy life in the countryside of Florida.

Grandmother: I don't know very much about my grandmothers past, other than she helps to fund my college payments for when I go to college. She has worked her entire life at one job.

So now that I've talked about my grandparents, what are your's like?

 

[Grand Prix]

They're dead Jim.

 

[Small_Fryz]

 

[Ken]

What are your Grandparents like?

Abusive, the whole lot of them.

 

[Liquid]

Mum's side
This is the super Welsh side of the family, hence the terminology

Nain: Nice lady, married to a nasty old 🤬. Soft but genuine Welsh accent.
Taid: My mum doesn't even know anything about her own dad, so I have no clue.

Dad's side
Also Welsh, as we all are, but definitely English speaking

Nanna: Sub-5 foot, tone deaf sweet old dear. Always wanting to know what I'm up to in a curious and warming manner. Spent many an evening as a child staying over to watch light entertainment programmes with a cuppa.

Granddad: Bernie, or 'Don Berno' as he's known, is the patriarch of the family. Actually has a passing resemblance to Don Corleone, cementing this jocular nickname. Likes pigeons and livestock; we used to have quite a large farm but economic woes in the 90s saw him sell up. Definitely working class; as a roadworker in his youth, he abode by the motto, "If it's not nailed down, nick it." The rascal.

My three grandparents are all younger than 67. To put that in perspective, I'm almost 22. We're a young family. Don't really see my nain that much because my mum isn't that close to her own family. Whenever I use the term 'my family', I almost exclusively mean 'my dad's family'. I specify if it's my mum's family.

My gallavanting at university, and generally since leaving school, means I haven't seen much of my grandparents since I was 16. I make the effort when I can, and having saw them at a family engagement recently, I'm looking forward to the next time.

Great-grandparents? Three out of eight were still alive when I was born in 1991. They died in 1995, 1999 and 2003, respectively. Still have limited but fond memories of all of them.

 

[photonrider]

Almost a quarter million threads, and this one never existed?

My Grandparents were the 🤬 bee's knees. I miss them like hell, and wished they had lived longer so I could have basked in their adoration a little more.

Yeah, I know. I'm selfish.

Anyway, taking a lesson from that, I make sure my kids spend a lot of time with their grandparents - not too much or there are battles I might lose I cannot afford to. Grandparents always take their grandkids' side over their own kids' wants.

 

[Doodle]

Mom side
Grandma: Still alive but has Alzheimer's
Grandpa: Dead before I was born.

Dad Side
Grandma: Alive and healthy
Grandad: Alive and healthy
Great-Grandma still alive at 92 but has Alzheimer's

 

[watermelon punch]

Good one Grand Prix.

Same here at any rate, and like Doodle, one of mine died (of ovarian cancer), before I was born.

But most importantly, my maternal grandfather was my very best friend growing up.
Like photonrider's elders, my grandpa was the bees knees!
He was also the cat's pajamas!
He was the son of immigrants, born in 1907, started working as a coal miner at age 12, later in life he became a professional taxidermist specializing in game birds. He was particularly "fond" of ruffed grouse (our state bird of Pennsylvania). I even still have a little toy he gave me as a kid of a ruffed grouse.
He was the best friend of my father - and that's how my parents met - my father married his best friend's daughter. They were constant fishing buddies my father & grandfather.
He died in the 1980s when I was still at school.
(ahem not to give away my age totally LOL)

Almost a quarter million threads, and this one never existed?

Yeah really I was surprised too...
At the Rumble Strip, one may have more expected to be a thread: "What are your In-Laws like?"

Good thread. 👍
Lots of interesting stories in this.

 

[Sir Tuddle]

Dad's side:
Filipino side of the family.

Grandma: dead before i was born
Grandpa: Super strict, stays in the Philippines so i don't see much of him. He recently remarried and his new wife is causing a hell of alot of problems and drama for the rest of the family.

Mum's side:
Chinese side, they live here in America so I lean more towards their side of the family.

Grandma: pretty much one of the best cooks I know
Grandpa: He doesn't get mad. Ever. It gets a bit scary

You know what's sad? As i was typing this I realized that no one's ever told me the names of my grandparents, I always just call them grandma and grandpa >_>

 

[photonrider]

Yeah really I was surprised too...
At the Rumble Strip, one may have more expected to be a thread: "What are your In-Laws like?"
.

Don't. Even. Start.
Help.


One of my Granfathers owned a Travel and Tour agency. He was supposed to have eight Buick Station Wagons. I remember seeing two as I grew up. They looked terrifying for some reason, not at all like cars. They looked like hearses, and I never went too close to them for fear of seeing a coffin in the back.
I was his favourite grandson, (or so he said) and I would always get my way, whatever I wanted, contrary to anyone else's wishes - especially my mother's (his daughter).

My paternal Grandfather was a dour Dutchman, a whole different cup of tea - in fact he operated a vast and sprawling estate, a Stevens under his arm most times. He taught me to play the harmonica, collect postage stamps, and how to keep the Family Genealogy updated. He never really smiled, but he seemed to be always chuckling deep down at me. He also gave me my first 'adult novel' - Shock Treatment' by James Hadley Chase, (I was around 8 - 9 ) and my Aunt (his daughter) freaked out at him, but he just shrugged her aside and told me to read it.

I was suitably shocked. After that I read every single Hadley Chase I would get my hands on.

And so are the seeds planted.

 

[terminator363]

My grandparents are amazing.

 

[SkylineObsession]

Not trying to be too topic bringy downy here, so hopefully it doesn't stick out too much.

Just lost my last grandparent last Wednesday (Dads mum). Mainly of old age i think (86), but she'd broken both her hips in past years and hasn't really walked for the last year, so her health just deteriorated. I hadn't seen her since October or so last year as she had slight dementia (?) so sometimes wouldn't know who you were.

But will always remember her sense of humour (could always joke around with her) and how she always used to have biscuits and drink for us when we visited her. She loved her dogs and cats, so i think it affected her a bit when she went into a rest home a few years back - she replaced her animals with soft toy replicas though.
Don't really remember my grandad (Dads dad) too well, as he died in the mid 1980s when his car left the road and went into the harbour one night.

And on Mums side, both her parents passed away from cancer within a year from each other (Nana November 2007, Pop October 2008), and Mum died from cancer a month after Pop.

Pop was originally from Holland, but was sent to New Zealand when youngish/old enough because his parents were worried about the war with the Nazis etc. Pop actually saw Hitler walk past him in a street parade once.
But he had an absolutely awesome sense of humour and i really miss him (i miss everyone else too of course!). Nana was awesome too, she had a lot of love and also had a bit of a sense of humour too.
Great grandma (Nanas mum) i remember well too. She always had spearminty lollies at her house/with her, and i remember her taking us away for fish & chips around the city in her Hilman Hunter.

I'm glad i still have memories of everyone who passed away, but they'll never beat the real thing. :/

Spend as much time with your parents/grandparents etc while you still can - they won't be here forever!

 

[watermelon punch]

Spend as much time with your parents/grandparents etc while you still can - they won't be here forever!

+1 👍 👍 👍 👍

 

[Danny]

They're fine, thanks.

 

[Ellis]

Old. Wrinkly. And in my grandmas case, 4 foot 9.

 

[Lizard]

Mothers side.

Grandfather. Died when my mum was 10. I was born 20 years later. My mum tells me of a nice caring guy who served in North Africa during the war but little else.
Grandmother. Same fate except she lasted till my mum was 18. Mum tells me of a sweet caring person who had strict traditional values.

Dads side.

I will never know my true grandparents I don't think. My dad was adopted and he doesn't want to find them.
I have a feeling they are not even British as my dad has quite dark skin. I have a theory of South American origin but that is a wild guess. I would love the chance to meet them though.

Adopted grandparents.

Grandmother. Alive and sweet but suffering with brain injury from falling and smashing her head on the tiled doorstep and has for about 8 years now and forgets almost everything you say to her. Remembers before said accident quite well. Before that quite an active person. Also finds it hard moving about due to said injury affecting her movement.

Grandfather. Nice caring guy. A bit lost though and doesn't really know what to do with himself. Looks after my grandmother even though he is quite old himself with some help from a carer that comes once a day I think.

I see them twice a year.

 

[dhandeh]

Dead.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Dead.

 

[kikie]

Dead. All 4 of them.


2 died of old age. One from diabetes and another one was ran over by a car when he was crossing a street with his bicycle (at the age of 80).

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

All dead, except my paternal grand mother, she is close to 84 years old now, living down under with one of her daughter ( my aunt )

 

[axletramp]

Mine tend to be quite quiet these days.

OK, they're all dead... or very good at hiding.

 

[DQuaN]

Mum's side.
Grandad murdered Grandma and then killed himself. Long time before I was born.

Dad's side
Grandma died a long time before I was born. Grandad died when I was about three.

So yeah, I haven't had much in the way of grandparents.

 

[Famine]

They're dead Jim.

Dead.

Dead.

Mine tend to be quite quiet these days.

OK, they're all dead... or very good at hiding.

Dead. All 4 of them.

This. Only I had seven of them.

 

[axletramp]

I'm guessing there's a few remarriages there. I had five because my father's father married twice.

Either that or you're Snow White...

 

[Famine]

One and an adoption.

 

[dhandeh]

I'm guessing there's a few remarriages there. I had five because my father's father married twice.

Either that or you're Snow White...

Didn't Charlie, famous for being Willy Wonka's mate have a load of grandparents as well?

 

[axletramp]

All in the same bed. Just one quick call to social services would have sorted that family out.

Or Jeremy Kyle.

 

[otakukid96]

Mothers side:
Grandma: Stubborn and reliant on others. She causes a whole lot of stress on my family.
Grandpa: Died before I was 3, so I never really got to know him.

Fathers side:
Grandma: One of the biggest rednecks you have ever met.
Grandpa: One of the biggest rednecks you have ever met. Was in the military for a while, though I don't think he as in any war. Lost one of his legs to gangrene during his time in service.

 

[PeterJB]

Dad's side:

Grandpa: Born in Maidstone in 1916 and served in northern Africa and Italy during the war. Became an insurance clerk afterwards, then died of Parkinson's in 1992 at the age of 76, three months before I was born. A very quiet and reserved man from what I was told.

Grandma: An ultra-conservative, slightly tyrannical misogynist (grew up in Maidstone with five brothers, then had three sons), who was quite terrifying when I was younger. Used to insult me and my sisters a lot and once described us as "A leech on your father's finances". As she got older and weaker she became less angry and quite funny. She died of a stroke in 2010, aged 91.

Mum's side:

Both grandparent's (Eva and Granddad as they are referred to by the family) were born in Birmingham in 1932 and got married in 1955. They had five kids from 1956-1966 and then emigrated to Australia in 1969. All of them except my eldest uncle returned to the UK in 1978. After this Granddad became ordained as a Vicar in the Church of England. Since getting married they've lived in over 20 houses together in places like Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Staffordshire and Brisbane. I visit them 3 or 4 times a year, they're both alive and well living in Somerset, with their diamond wedding anniversary approaching.

 

[axletramp]

Grandad murdered Grandma and then killed himself. Long time before I was born.

Wait... what?! If you don't mind me asking, what happened there?