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| Gee Gee, 1966 |
There are three things I remember most about visiting Gee Gee as a child. First, she was unable to walk after breaking her hip and had to use a wheelchair to get around. Otherwise, Gee Gee was very sturdy and loved to hold and hug her little ones. However it was the wheelchair that fascinated us. The big wheels, the handlebars to push, and the brake to stop. We all begged to go for rides in the chair and take turns pushing her around the house. It was a big deal for us!
Another fascinating thing was the piano she had in her living room. All the kids loved to press on the keys trying to plunk out a melody or perform a rendition of “Chop Sticks” on her piano. It did not take long before we reached the limit of our parents' patience and were directed to go outside and play.
Gee Gee with her great-grandchildren, at home, Hayward, CA 1957.
Standing from L: Marvin Banta, and JV Banta
Sitting on Gee Gee's lap from L: Bobby Banta and Debbie Grandon;
Sitting on floor from L: Bonnie Bear, Jerry Grandon Jr., and Nancy Bear.
Finally, the most fascinating thing I remember was going to Gee Gee’s house on New Year’s day to watch the Rose Parade on her new color television set. This was in the early 1960’s and Gee Gee was the first in our family to have a color television. We oohed and aahed throughout the entire parade as the colorful floats passed by. It was great!
The wheelchair, piano, and color television all added to the excitement of a visit to Gee Gee’s house. Cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents would fill her home whenever we got together. Adults would be in the kitchen playing Canasta or some other card game, while the children were exploring her very large yard or playing with the piano. It was fun, it was busy, and we couldn’t wait to go back!
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| Gee Gee and family, Hayward, CA, circa 1948 Adults from L: Harry Higbee, Belle Banta Higbee, Nina Banta, Marvin Banta, TJ Banta, and Gee Gee. Children in front from L: Patricia Banta, and Marian Banta. |
The rest of the world knew Gee Gee as Verona Willard Banta. She was born in Sodville Township, west of Bucklin, Ford County, Kansas July 15th, 1887. Her father was a successful farmer and Justice of the Peace. She married TJ Banta, a farmer, in 1906 and together they raised four children on a homestead in Lamar, Colorado. They moved back to Bucklin to care for her aging father in 1929. Finally, they moved to Hayward, California in 1948 to be closer to their sons and grandchildren. Today I would love to talk with her about the wild west and her experience settling the great plains of Kansas and Colorado, but that conversation will have to wait because she died in 1967 when I was eleven years old. Until then, I smile when I remember the wheelchair, piano, and color television; and my heart warms when I remember the great grandmother I knew as Gee Gee.
Lovely story!
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteSuch a wonderful heartwarming story.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWhen I first saw your post, I thought the G was soft. My grandmother, whom we called Mam-ma, wanted her great-grandchildren to call her G-G, with a soft g sound.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteJust delightful, Jerry.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteLove reading these. Thank you for sharing and including me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen, glad you are enjoying them, let's connect soon!
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