Dorothy Eleanor Borden Wellington

Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – My Nephew Dave’s Birthday 🙂 –

"Gramma Dot" photo from 2007-2008

“Gramma Dot” Yearbook Photo for the 2007-2008 School Year in Alaska.

— I found this photo of my mother today and managed to scan it with my ‘all in one’ laser printer which is screaming that I need to get a new toner cartridge –

— The above photo was taken during her time as a volunteer ‘Foster Grandparent’ in, I think, the Two Rivers Elementary School in Two Rivers, Alaska, where she really came alive and loved what she was doing, paying attention to kids in the school system who needed attention. The kids loved her as much as she loved them. { I think she did all her Foster Grandparenting in Two Rivers, but she might have done some closer to home when she moved to North Pole, Alaska. }

— She told us she’d really wanted to be a school teacher, but when she got married in 1948 – She was told she could either be a wife and mother or have a career.

— After my father died in 1995, mom went to visit my sister, Sharon, and Sharon’s 2nd husband, Gary Hedding, Sharon’s 3 boys and one of Gary’s two sons – in Two Rivers, and later in North Pole, Alaska. She volunteered on a temporary basis in the Foster Grandparent program at the school Sharon also worked in as an Education Assistant – The principal caller her into his office co-incidentally on her birthday, October 20th, and told her he had to give her an evaluation, looked at his notes, shook his head, sighed, and then looked up and grinned, “All I can say is, We really wish we could keep you here, the kids love you and so do all the teachers – ” And when he said he was going to walk her back to her classroom, they stepped out of his office, turned a corner and every child in the school was sitting in a semi-circle in the hallway and they all yelled out, “Happy Birthday, Gramma Dot!” and one by one came up, handed her a hand-made birthday card and gave her a big hug. She cried happy tears reading the cards over and over for three days at home and came back in and said, “Okay – you got me – how could I leave you after this?”

— And I’m tearing up as I write this.

— Mom moved on to higher things on April 8th, 2016 – We’re all sure she had a halo waiting for her at the ‘Pearly Gates’ – and a big reception party that probably embarrassed her half way back to life – { she didn’t like standing out in a crowd or being the center of attention. }

~~~~~ Jim