Just Like Family

My sister Betsy is saying goodbye to "Grandma Helen" this week. She is the woman who helped the Kohans raise their family of five children - providing loving grandma-like childcare for a family who doesn't have relatives living nearby. When Betsy and Wayne needed time away, Helen, a friend's mother, would come to stay with the Kohan family.

Kohans - 2000? 

Grandma Helen always sounded to me like Lulubelle, a wonderful woman who helped raise many families Atlantic where I grew up. Her real name was Lulu Herbert, a woman who lost her husband (a Phillips 66 longtime employee if I remember right) at a fairly young age. She started a gig house-sitting, complete with kids and dogs/cats etc. Parents all across town were overjoyed.

One young charge started calling her Lulubelle, and the name stuck! She stayed with the Bullocks many times and she was a Belle of a gal and we loved her like a grandmother. Our grandparents lived in town but retired to sunny Florida each winter - which was often when Mom and Dad wished to travel.

Lulubelle drove a groovy AMC Javelin car. She was an awesome, if messy cook. My sisters and I still reminisce about her fried chicken, homemade noodles and sugar and chocolate chip cookies! She gave me her sugar cookie recipe when I got married. I cherish it!

Sometimes Lulubelle would be "double-dipping" and we'd go with her to another family's house and hang out with those kids, like the Cook family Terri, Sarah and Barb. Now that's a lot of girls! Or the Swishers, which I loved because they had boy toys. Unfortunately, their dog bit Betsy's face when she touched his bad leg. That led to stitches at Dr. Wilcox's office downtown. Betsy bit the nurse who also had to have a tetanus shot. That was an exciting day!

Born in 1900, Lulubelle lived a long life, passing away in 1997 in California where her daughter lived. I don't remember the last time I saw her. I wish I would have paid more attention to her and others who were so important in my young life. I should have visited them when I went back to Atlantic. But like many in their young adulthood - I was all about me. At some point, Lulu moved to California to be near family members, and the chance to see her was lost.

It was when we were about this age that Lulabelle used to stay with us, and after Susi went to college

Family relationships are important, but so too are those who weave their way into our lives, filling important roles such as childcare (with love). Maybe they need us too. They need to be needed. Sometimes those relationships are temporary. Other times they last a lifetime.

Here's to Grandma Helen, loving keeper of the Kohan children and to Lulubelle Herbert, who corraled the Bullock girls and fed them well. Perhaps you have a pretend Aunt or Uncle in your family in your life. Don't lose track and visit them when you can. No regrets!