Bernice Chase Noll Growing Up

89. Grandmother Ella Graffith

Grandma Ella Griffith stands tall in my memory. She started the first Garden Club in Springfield. She could recite many long poems by memory and often did. In her later years in her 90s started to learn German to keep her mind active. She learned from a German grammar book. She taught many classes at the senior center in the area, sewing, quilting, painting, basket weaving and others just to name a few, She raised canaries and delighted in showing baby birds to the children. I remember her garden as being somewhat wild and having many varieties and telling us their Latin names. We still have one of her wild roses growing in my garden today, transplanted from her garden from many years ago.

A real pioneer woman, she delighted in preserving some of the old pioneer skills. She never missed attending any of our school or Church performances. Is short she supported all of our activities in her enthusiastic unique style. She also taught children beginning piano lessons including our sons.