Plagiarizing

My sweet friend Juliana wrote a beautiful blog post about my Grandma's 100th birthday.  Since her blog is private and you can't just click on it easily, I'm going to copy and paste what she wrote (and her pictures!) onto my own blog, too.  Juliana has spent WAY more time with my Grandma in the last 10 years than I have, and it was really wonderful to read all the nice things she had to say about my Grandmother.  I'll write some of my own thoughts in a separate blog post later, but I want what Juliana wrote recorded here, too!  (Sorry, Juliana-- I hope what I'm doing is okay with you???)


Here are Juliana's words:


Helen Bentley has been a sweet grandma to me throughout my entire life. And it was a sweet honor to celebrate her 100th birthday over Easter weekend in Seattle.

Here are a few of my favorite Helen Bentley memories (with pictures of her party too):

two cakes! and many, many bouquets of flowers. 

• Helen used to work at the front desk of my dentist office (Dr Thomas). I remember my mom would always schedule our dentist appointments for days/shifts that Helen was working, just so we could visit her when we came for our appointments. (Plus, the other front desk lady Claudia always seemed mean.)

• Until I was in college, Helen lived in the Greenwood Ward in Shoreline, which meant she was in our stake at church. It was always fun to see her at stake conference, and I grew up knowing that she had mutual friends/church acquaintances with my parents. I think this overlap helped me realize that she was more than just a nice grandma, but she actually had her own life.

• I remember visiting her condo in Shoreline with my mom semi-regularly, and her floors were always immaculate. It seemed like she vacuumed every day! Especially as a little girl, how someone could keep their house spotless always seemed incredible.

Emi loved all the catered food and treats.
Emi also loved going on walks with Jeff  and playing with the other Bentley babies.

• Helen Bentley came to my baptism and gifted me the most beautiful little teddy bear in a fancy peach dress. I remember opening the bear on the drive home from the baptism (even though I think I was supposed to wait) and being so excited that Helen gave me a gift I actually wanted. (In contrast to some of my other baptismal gifts that felt boring to me - like scripture quotes.) This teddy bear was on display in my bedroom until I got married, and now is packed safely away in a box full of my favorite things.

• When I was in high school, my dad would visit Helen to check on her toilets, plumbing and any other household details, as a friendly check-in. My dad would always bring me along, to both practice my own fix-it skills, and also for a chance to visit with our favorite 90 year old.

• Nearly every Thanksgiving morning growing up, the four of us Hogan’s would wake up early, get ready, and drive through Shoreline to pick up Helen Bentley. Then drive to the Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry for a weekend of Hogan-Bentley festivities. My mom always joked that we had the best end of the Thankgiving responsibilities - all we had to bring was homemade pies and Grandma Helen!

• I remember when Helen was in her 80’s and my mom gushing her how she didn’t look a day older than 60. In my mind I kept wondering, how is that a nice thing to say, 60 is still so old?!

I love this picture!
It is crowded, but I love how Helen is surrounded by laughing family
and she is just sitting and soaking it all in.

• Helen often shopped at Nordstom and bought the Bentley girls the fanciest scarfs and holiday presents. The summer before I went to college, Helen bought me a set of fancy gold and silver earrings and wrote me the nicest note. (I still have them both safe, tucked away with the baptism teddy bear.)

• When Helen was in her 90’s, she had a memory-driving fiasco and got lost in Woodinville. My parents drove out to save her and her car, and I remember my mom explaining how Helen calmed right down as soon as she saw my dad and he started talking and joking with her.

• Helen, Patrice and my mom would go shopping at Alderwood Mall together, and Helen would love to buy her pants at Coldwater Creek. She always dressed so classy.

• I remember Helen was so excited for my wedding, she bought Jeff and I the fanciest gift, and made a sassy “well of course she is” comment when my mom told her I was getting married in the Seattle Temple.

Emi holds her own glittery 100 year glasses

a small group with our 100 glasses on

• Helen loved my mom fiercely. When the Bentleys arrived to my mom’s funeral, Helen was sobbing. She was dressed in black and looked as classy as ever, but her tight hug and her raw tears broke (and validated) my heart in a powerful way. Even after witnessing the sorrow and heartbreak of life for 95 years, she still had capacity to deeply mourn and love my mother.

• Three summers ago, Helen fell and broke her hip. The replacement surgery and rehab moved her out of her assisted living home and into a facility closer to my dad’s house. For several weeks over the summer, I visited Helen in the evenings. One of my favorite nights was when we watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics together and she laughed at how frumpy and old the Queen of England was looking. Ha!

• During those same summer visits, Helen’s regular pants (the black ones from Coldwater Creek) got misplaced in the laundry room. It was suggested that she could wear hospital scrubs - and Helen was both scoffing and insulted about that suggestion for days! (Thankfully, it felt like a glimpse of inspiration that I remembered Helen’s favorite pants and could help find them.)

with Rachael and Ian after the party

• Two summers ago, Kat, Emi and I visited Bainbridge Island for a day trip. We had lunch and ice cream with Patrice, and visited Helen in the afternoon. Helen was so captivated with baby Emi, and remembered exactly who Kat was, including details about her family and parents. Such a sharp mind and sweet heart for age 98!

• During that same visit to Bainbridge Island, Helen asked me why I wasn’t visiting her as often as I had the summer before (when she was in the rehab facility). I explained that Jeff and I moved to Connecticut and were living back East. Without missing a beat, Helen sassily replied “oh I know that, but why don’t you come by anymore?”.

Helen and me

Helen’s 100th birthday party was a beautiful success! The party was hosted on Bainbridge Island, and both her children, and all her grandchildren and great grandchildren were able to come! Helen’s mind is still sharp, and it was so sweet to see her face light up when her friend and family walked into the room. I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with Helen where she didn’t pay me at least one compliment, and ask me several questions about my own life. She is absolutely gracious, and there is no question why she is so well loved. I can’t imagine my life without Helen Bentley on my team of favorite people, and it was so sweet to be a part of her celebration.

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Okay, me again. Wasn't that a sweet tribute from Juliana? I will get around to writing about my Grandma, also, but I don't know that I can even add much to what Juliana already wrote! Thanks for letting me steal this, Juliana!

And P.S. Isn't Emi the cutest little girl ever??? I'm desperate to make sure that she and Colton end up marrying each other...