Bye, Grandma.

I've been avoiding blogging as a way to avoid admitting the inevitable to myself: my maternal grandmother died on June 13.

I guess I kind of figured that if I didn't blog about it, then it wouldn't be true. But didn't feel I could blog about anything else if I didn't mention her.

But I think it's time now.

My Grandma Ronnie - short for Roena - was a huge influence on my life. My brother and I spent a lot of time at her and my grandfather's house on Rhoda in Youngstown when we were growing up. Mom and Dad worked a lot, and we were lucky enough to spend many of our summers at their house.

My grandmother instilled in me my love of nature. She knew the name of every plant and wild animal, and if she didn't, she relished helping me look it up. One of my fondest memories is riding out to OH Camp with her with her pointing out all of the wildflowers we could see from the van.

Grandma Ronnie also inspired my love of reading. I discovered many authors that I still love to this day on the wall of paperbacks in the basement. I spent hours down there in the heat of the summer, reading Anne McCaffery, Larry Niven, and Mary Stewart, among many others.

My grandmother was never one to keep quiet about something she didn't like, and while she didn't always like what I did with my life, I know she always loved me, especially when I was an obnoxious teenager. She taught me to be strong, be independent, to do my best, and to never let people walk all over me. There's no way I can ever thank her enough for that.

The family worked hard on tribute that truly reflected my grandma, so here it is:

Roena “Ronnie” Scherl, 85

AUSTINTOWN - Roena “Ronnie” Lorraine Soelberg Scherl, 85, passed away early Friday evening, June 13, 2008, at her home from complications of emphysema, surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren.

Roena was born in Miles City, Montana June 8, 1923, a daughter of the late Ivar and Irena Soelberg.

She married Robert “Bim” Scherl June 5, 1945, in El Centro, Calif., where they were both serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.

Ronnie served two years in the Marine Corps during the war, taking the motto, “Free a Marine to Fight,” to heart. She joined the U.S. military because none of the men in her family were eligible for the armed services, and felt that a member of her family should serve the country. She was trained and worked in the field of aerology and served on both coasts.

Mrs. Scherl was active in Girl Scouts for over 60 years. In those years, she touched countless young women’s lives, introducing them to new experiences, encouraging them, and showing them they could do anything if they tried. One of the accomplishments which she was most proud was leading the “OH” (orthopedically handicapped) day camp for children with orthopedic disabilities at Girl Scout Camp Millwood. She recruited Girl Scouts and neighborhood boys to serve as counselors. This was the first time that boys were permitted to become members of the Girl Scouts. To ensure the safety of the children at the camp pool, she became an American Red Cross First Aid, Water Safety, and adapted aquatics instructor at age 50. The young camp counselors as well as the disabled campers learned firsthand from Ronnie that differences among people are on the outside, not the inside.

Ronnie’s love of music and nature was well-known. She was active in Sweet Adelines International Singers, singing in and directing the chorus, and sang in a quartet named the Rag Dolls. She taught previously inexperienced young girls to sing in harmony and to experience the joy and satisfaction of creating beauty. She knew most of the wild flowers growing in northeast Ohio, and passed her appreciation of nature to children, grandchildren, and scouts.

Her thirst for knowledge was legendary, and the family would say, “Ask Grandma Ronnie,” if they ran into a question they couldn’t answer. She continued her life of service well into her 70's by becoming a literacy tutor.

In later years, a great source of joy in her life was getting to know the alpacas at Day Star Alpacas in North Jackson. Dan and Kim Coulter, owners, generously shared their love of alpacas with Roena, recently naming a newborn cria (baby alpaca), “Roena” in her honor.

She is survived by her husband, Robert, of 63 years; seven children, Charles (Teresa) Scherl of San Diego, Cal., Alice (Lloyd) Slusher of Boardman, Edward (Cheryl) Scherl of Poland, Martha (Keith) Womer of Round Rock, Tex., Cecelia (David) Wilson of Blacklick, Monica (Jeff) Enterline of Austintown, and Connie (Michael) Csernik of Lousiville, Ky.; 17 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Norman and Richard Soelberg, and her sister, Wenona Walbaum.

There were no calling hours. Services were held on Saturday, June 21, at St. Brendan Church.

Roena’s family requests that material tributes take the form of donations to Hospice of the Valley, 5190 Market St., Youngstown, 44512.

Please visit kinnickfuneralhome.com to send condolences.

Thanks for your patience while I've been grieving. I think I'm ready to get back to posting now.