Rest in Peace, Mabelle Irene

My grandmother, Mabelle Irene Luthy Larter, died in her sleep last night just before midnight, a little over a week after her 99th birthday. Born in 1911, she was truly a member of what people are now calling the "greatest generation." 

Flapper Girl

She lived through a time of tremendous change in our world. Just three years before she was born, the first Model T automobile was produced and true radio broadcasting did not yet exist. She watched as human flight was developed, spaceflight was achieved and mass communication using telephone, television and eventually the Internet all came into existence.

"Acting Up" - Mabelle, far right

Throughout all of this, she lived a remarkable personal life that included periods as frontier gal, flapper girl, ranch wife, mother, grandmother to me, my sisters and our cousins, and eventually even great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to our various offspring.

Mabelle with her grandpa Thomas Bean

I saw her for the last time about six weeks ago and she greeted me as she always has: "Well, for goodness gracious! Look who's here!" I will miss you, grandma...your smile, your infectious laugh, your hugs. Rest in peace.