The Life of
Virginia Grant By: Elizabeth Grant
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irginia “Jeanie” Paul was born in 1931 in Philadelphia to Lithuanian immigrants. She attended Little Flower High School. When she was 15, she met James “Jim” Grant at a local dance. Jim, 21-years-old at the time, was a bartender in a seperate section of the bar than the dance was being held in. Virginia and a friend snuck into the bar section to meet the bartender. Four years later, Virginia and Jim were married. In 1951, they had their first child, Michael, my father.
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Top: Virginia and her first baby, Michael, on a New Jersey beach. Top right: Virginia and Michael in their backyard. Bottom right: Virginia, Jimmy, and Michael in their backyard.
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V
irginia and Jim had four children together. Tragically, in 1973, Jim was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Since then, Virginia has been on her own and doing her own thing. Her independence became a proud trait of hers, and often would talk about how she “doesn’t need a man.”
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Virginia visiting Michael while he was stationed in Chicago, 1970.
Jim visiting Michael while he was stationed in Chicago, 1970.
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Virginia and Michael, Christmas Eve 2008.
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Grandmom Jeanie and me, Christmas Eve 2008. Please, excuse my awkward 13-yearold self.
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F
or the past few years, Virginia has been battling dementia. In recent years, it has gotten very severe. She is often confused about where she is. Some days, she doesn’t remember who her own children and grandchildren are, and mistakes them for others.
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Michael visiting Virigina in her nursing home. He’s examining the skin on her hands to see if her skin coloring is okay.
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D
espite her dementia, one can often catch gimpses of Virginia’s firey personality. She will sometimes be able to relive hilarious antecdotes and will sometimes resay her old idioms.
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Gimpses of Jean’s personality shine through. Bottom right: Virginia relives an old story about they way she used to talk sternly to her sons, equiped with a finger point and frown.
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G
randmom Jeanie still strives to live her life. She says, “Life is what you make it... If you want to be nasty, go ‘head; If you want to be nice, go ‘head.” Despite her challenges, Viriginia is making her life the way she wants it to be.
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Grandmom Jeanie notices I’m taking a picture of her and smiles.
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Thank you.