Grandma Cost

This past Saturday evening, on January 5th, Peter's Grandma Cost passed away from multiple myeloma (bone cancer). We knew she didn't have much time left, but we were saddened and surprised by how quickly it came. We just saw her two weeks ago on the day after Christmas, and she was so much like her normal self. I would never have thought that the next week she would be gone. I'm so glad we went to see her that day and that we talked about significant things, like her family history and what life was like when she and Grandpa Cost were younger, instead of just trivial small talk.

One of the cool things about Grandma Cost is that she's a direct descendant of a now-prominent couple who came over on the Mayflower, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. Their descendants include many well-known people, including President Bush, the Prophet Joseph Smith, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Humphrey Bogart, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I'm looking forward to researching the exact line that she, Peter, and John are descended from. I was planning on doing that for her before she died, and I can still do it for her even though she's no longer here.

I've always thought of Grandma Cost as a classic New Englander. She was polite and friendly; she was also a firecracker who wasn't afraid to tell you exactly what she thought. She dressed well and always looked nice. She loved her grandkids and great-grandkids and opened her home and her heart to them. The family gatherings will no longer be the same without her there and it's difficult to realize that she's not going to be around anymore. We're so glad to know that it's only good-bye for a little while, and that she's in a wonderful place right now.

This is the first time John met his Great-Grandma Cost, when he was almost 4 months old, in June 2005.
Thanksgiving, 2005.
Grandma and Grandpa Cost. They were married for almost 60 years!
Four generations: Grandma Cost, Allison (Peter's mother), Peter, and John, at our house in September 2006.
And, mostly for my own records, but an interesting read nonetheless, is her obituary that appeared in the newspaper:

COST, Marian H., (Bush), 76, of Battey Meeting House Rd., died Saturday, January 5, 2008 at home. She was the beloved wife of Charles Cost. Born in Providence, the daughter of the late Herman E. and Ruth P. (Tinkham) Bush. Mrs. Cost was a resident of North Scituate since 1950. She was a Certified Licensed Underwriter for the Amica Life Insurance Co. for 20 years, retiring in 1988. She was a member of the North Scituate Baptist Church; Queen of Sheba Chapter #10 O.E.S., and the R.I. Sewing Network. She was an avid camper and boater and a member of the Sunshine Wheelers Camping Club. She was a past member of the Wickford Yacht Club and a past Cub Scout and Brownie leader. Besides her husband, she leaves her daughter Allison Thienel and husband Larry of North Scituate, her sons, Clifford Cost and wife Gail of Foster, David Cost and wife Susan of Chepachet, Brian Cost and wife Peggy of North Scituate, Gordon Cost and wife Patricia of North Scituate. She leaves 15 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Visiting hours in the TUCKER-QUINN Funeral Chapel, 643 Putnam Ave. (Rte.44) Greenville , Wednesday, 4-7pm. Memorial Service in North Scituate Baptist Church 619 West Greenville Rd., Scituate, RI, Thursday January 10, 2008 at 10AM .