Grandma Clara Creative Queen

Gone but not forgotten

This is my Grandma Clara. She is about 16 in this picture and had already been married for 2 years. She married my Grandpa Dugan in 1937. She was 14, he was 30! Unheard of this day and age, but Grandma always said he saved her life. They were married 61 years until 1998, when my Grandpa died. Her life before Grandpa was very hard. She was 1 of 7 children. She ended up raising the other 6, 2 years after this photo was taken. When her mother passed away. She had 3 sons and took in countless relatives and friends.
In this photo are my Grandparents {Grandpa was always a little man, he's on the left}, my Dad {the youngest yielding the toy pistol... notice the holsters strapped to his legs, isn't he cute?}, my 2 uncles {Bruce, the tall one and Ed} and my Grandma's brother Floyd {kneeling}.

This was taken in my Grandparents living room in the early 50's, my Grandpa built this house from lumber he salvaged from an old hotel. It is the home he died in and a few days ago, the home my Grandma Clara died in. This house was a gathering place, a "Welcome, The Door's Always Open" type of home. You were welcomed in with fresh baked zucchini bread, bonbons, carrot cake, laughter, cards and a never ending pot of coffee.

Grandma Clara was a crafting Queen. She crocheted us dresses, she knitted us Afghans, she sewed us all clothes. Here are me and my siblings on the floor of our kitchen with the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls she made us. I am the one in red with the yellow Raggedy Ann. I still have her. She is a little worse for wear. I am 40. So i estimate she has been around for at least 35 years.

This picture of Grandma and Grandpa and my sister Heather wearing a dress that Grandma made her.

I will miss her and her happiness. She was always content with her life. She was always positive and creative and fun. I was blessed to have her in my life for so long. My children were blessed to have the time they had with her. My daughter, Samantha Clara is named after her. A few weeks ago we had a surprise 87th birthday party for her. She was thrilled.

Clara Louise Bailey

1923-2010