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Dorothy Elizabeth Routly
1915 - 2005
Memorial Service
February 7th, 2005Tribute by grandson David Gerald
My oldest memory of Grandma goes back to a visit that I had with her when I was 7 or so. I spent several days with her, it might have been a week, and it was just the two of us. There is one memory of that visit that stands out. Grandma liked to tell this story. It concerned being taken from my bed late one night when her building was being evacuated due to a fire. She said that she came into the room, the fire alarm blaring, and said, "David, do you know what sound that is?" I said, very calmly, "Yes, it's the fire alarm." She always seemed to get a kick out of the fact that I was so casual about it, but I think my calmness was a combination of being very sleepy and the fact that I was being taken care of by my Grandma. I like to think that I trusted her enough that a blaring fire alarm wasn't that big a deal.
One of the characteristics of Grandma that I always identified and respected was her independence. She always seemed so capable of caring for herself. Even when she got older, and referred to herself as, "old and funny," this independence remained, such that it was hard to take her that seriously when she talked about it. Sure, she was old and funny. But I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to tell her what to do. Grandma outlived her husband by 30 years, and seemed to lack for no inner strength despite this loss.
The Bible verse that I will always associate with Grandma is from Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and have been called according to his purpose." I remember her referring to this as "our family verse." She believed it, though. And lived it. And I think that it motivated her to keep trusting God through her life, for whatever difficulties came.
I miss Grandma. And I regret the fact that she won't get to hold my own kids. But I really do rejoice in the fact that she is now with her God, and with her husband, and that all is now at peace. I can't imagine her being in a better place.
