Grandma Betty

Elizabeth "Betty" Louise Hudson

Feb 13, 1931 - Jan 8, 2011

Living eight hours away from family can sometimes be a good thing, but the events we faced this weekend made us wish we were closer.  Saturday morning we had a lazy morning around the house and started cleaning.  Jason was going to give me a few hours to myself and do something with the boys and that night we were going to celebrate my birthday a little early.  Around 9:45 Jason's mom called and we got news you never want to get.  Jason's grandmother was being rushed to the ER and it didn't look good.  This is where you just feel helpless because we are 8 hours away so even if we could do something to help the distance makes it impossible.  Within 15 minutes from the first call we learned that Grandma Betty had gone to be with Jesus. 

We had taken this picture at the beginning of December when we were home for Thanksgiving.  We did get to see her at Christmas as well and we were so thankful for that! The unexpectedness of this just makes you realize that you never know when it may be the last time you see someone.  What makes Grandma Betty's homecoming easier is just knowing that she is with Jesus!!  She lived such a full and intentional life! 

One of Jason's parents friends who went to the funeral made the comment that they had been to a lot of funerals but this one had them wishing they had known Grandma Betty when the service was over.  I knew she was very active in Senior Citizens and in her church and I knew she had gone on several missions but I didn't realize how much she had done.  She helped teach driver's education for Senior's so they could get discounts on insurance and she was one of the foreign missions leaders in her church.  She was very active in Prison Ministry as well and helped coordinate that at her church.  While in her early 70's she traveled to Israel with an almost 90 year old lady as her travel buddy.  While there she had lost her passport and was put on house arrest with an armed guard outside her hotel room for 3 days :)  Did this bother her....not a bit!  She just witnessed to the guard!!!  An amazing lady!!  I am glad I was able to know her! 

Something very special to me is that when I go on my missions trip in March....I will feel like she is supporting me.  Her daughters agreed to contribute to my trip knowing that is something she would have wanted to do had she been able to.  This is so special to me!!

We love you and will miss you Grandma Betty, but we know you are in a truely wonderful place!!

Granny Betty and Caden when he was 9 months old!