Where in the World Are Grandma's Ashes?
The world Eunice saw in her 96 years extended only a few hundred miles from where she was born and died in Saginaw, Michigan.
She traveled no further westward than Wisconsin or eastward than Niagara Falls and Montreal. Her northern frontier was Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Cincinnati was her southern border.
But grandma didn’t stay put. She loved the freedom of driving her car. She started at 16, bought a convertible at 50 and a Cadillac at 70. She drove the Caddy until she was 90.
She enjoyed Michigan’s great lakes, which look like oceans. She talked about going to Hawaii and Florida in her retirement but widowhood and fear of flying kept her close to home.
Grandma wanted to be cremated. Half her ashes were buried beside her husband at St. Andrew’s Cemetery in Saginaw. One-quarter was spread at her favorite place: Mackinac Island, where Lakes Huron and Michigan meet.
The remaining quarter is being spread as I travel around the world.
Eunice encouraged her grandson to “see the world.” But she wouldn’t get on a plane to see the world for herself. So I told her I’d spread her ashes in the interesting places I traveled to. She liked that idea.
Here are the places, so far:
