the greats are gone

CONCORD - Mrs. Lu Creta "Granny" Burris Burgess, 90, of 164 Academy Avenue N.W., Concord, passed away on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at Tucker Hospice House in Kannapolis. Born on May 18, 1919, in Stanly County to the late Afton Burris and Minnie Helms Burris. A visitation will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home Concord, Saturday, March 6, 2010, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home Concord, Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 2 p.m. Pastor David Teague to officiate. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. She is survived by daughters, Lorene Edwards and husband, Junior, of Mooresville, Ruby Cranford of Concord, and Betty Ledbetter and husband, Hoyle, of Locust; sons, Mack Burgess of Concord and Jerry Burgess and wife, Brenda, of Concord; sister, Rosa Blondell Burris of Mount Pleasant; brother, Roy G. Burris of Stanfield; sister in law, Virginia Burris; nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by husband, Ephraim Burgess, daughter, Marlene McClure, and son-in-law, Jack Cranford. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Ln, Kannapolis, NC 28081 and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Donor Services, PO Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202. Hartsell Funeral Home Concord is serving the Burgess family. Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com

both of my great grandmas are gone now. it's so hard to grasp. i've had them here all my life. i haven't really sat down and let it sink in yet that they're gone. it doesn't make sense right now but i know when Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around those days will seem different. like something is missing. i've been lucky to have great grandmas and grandparents, some don't even get the chance to know their grandparents. matt has only had 1 his entire life and now she's become hostage to alzheimer's. she will never come back from this and he will never get to taste her cooking again and i will never get to meet this wonderful woman that i've heard so much about. i should count my blessings and i do. things are just going to be different now.