My Grandma Throughout the Years by Courtney Ann Wray

Me with my Grandma and sister

courtneywray — 2024-01-31 22:41:47 UTC

This is a photo of my sister and I with my Grandma when we were quite young.

Grandma as a child in 1956

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:14:41 UTC

My Grandma says how different it was growing up in her generation. She remembers how her parents were a lot more strict than in today's age, and that society was a lot more reserved. My Grandma mentions how back when she was a kid, you could hit kids at school with a belt or the strap. She said she was always afraid to misbehave at her house because her parents were strict, and if any child was misbehaving at school they would definitely get hit with the strap.

My Grandma and her Parents

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:15:49 UTC

My Great Grandpa was in WW2 in the RCAF as a pilot, and then was a manger at a factory. My Great Grandma worked at the Anglican Church and for an Accountant in my hometown.

My Grandma talked about how she would come home from lunch and her and her mom would walk over to the only house with a TV on the street at 12:30, and all the ladies would watch 'The Guiding Light.'

4 Generations

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:18:02 UTC

This is another photo of my Grandma with her Mom and her Grandma and my Mom as a child.

High School

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:18:40 UTC

This photo makes my Grandma talk about how good her hair used to be. This was taken at her Grade 12 graduation.

She said that there were dances every weekend with bands, and that the Rolling stones, the Beatles and that the Dave Clark 5 were popular when she was in school. She said Rock and Roll was just starting, but she was out of the loop because her parents were very strict. Her friends talk about all of these shows that were popular when she was young, like 'I Love Lucy,' that she never was allowed to watch.

My Grandparents

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:19:40 UTC

This photo was from the day she married my Grandpa. He died when my mom was only 3 years old. My Grandma always says that my Grandpa was the only man she could ever tolerate!

As a Baby

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:20:42 UTC

My Grandma was born in North Bay originally, and then moved from Stratford to Montreal, Belleville, and then finally back to my hometown of Stratford.

Growing up

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:22:05 UTC

This was my Grandma in Kindergarten. She still remembers one of her teachers Mrs. Merril, who would throw chalk at the students or the brush and got in trouble a few times because she broke a student's glasses and hit him in the head.

Another teacher, Mrs. Finkbinder—taught her dad—made the students put their hands on the desks to check for dirt in their nails everyday. She says back the kids were terrified of their teachers, certainly not like how it is today.

4 Generations

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:22:42 UTC

This is a photo of my Great Great Grandma, my mom as a baby, my Great Grandma, and my Grandma. Everyone in my family has the same middle name as we are all named after my Great Great Grandma.

Her second Marriage

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:24:09 UTC

This photo is of my Grandma with my mom and her Second Husband. They were married for only a few years. He had a son, who became very close with my mom. We actually just went to his wedding last summer.

When She Had My Mom

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:24:30 UTC

My Grandma was around 23 when she had my mom, who is an only child.

Her and her Mom

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:25:27 UTC

My Grandma as a teenager, with her Mom. I never met my Great Grandma, but they sure look a lot a like in the photos. My Grandma says that they would watch TV together in the living room at night until her dad would come home from work, and then she would have to run back upstairs because it was past her bedtime.

As a Child

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:26:49 UTC

The styles were very different back when my Grandma was growing up. She says they always wore white buck shoes with white Bobby socks, and that they had to wear a skirt or a dress to school. They were only allowed to wear slacks on 'gym days,' in public school.

When she was in high school, they had the same uniform, except an ugly uniform for gym. There was also a new style of shoes that was becoming popular—it has a squash heel, and she wore it with nylons, which were held up by a garter belt.

The Assassination of JFK

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:29:21 UTC

My Grandma always talks about the moment she heard that JFK was assassinated. She was in Grade 12, and everyone in her class went really quiet, everybody was shocked. She says that was unheard of in her day.

Man Landing on the Moon

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:50:23 UTC

She was around to hear when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon for the first time. This was very big when it happened, but she said she didn't get to watch it on the news because she was not allowed to watch TV.

Elvis

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 22:53:21 UTC

She was alive when Elvis died, although she said she didn't listen to him while she was growing up, so she didn't really care. She certainly listens to him now!

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 23:37:55 UTC

My Grandma says it is important to age gracefully, and that you just get smarter as you get older.

House of the Rising Sun

courtneywray — 2024-02-01 23:42:45 UTC

This one of the my Grandma's favorite songs that she listened to, she could not believe I had never heard it.