"If nothing is going well, call your grandmother," goes the Italian proverb, and it’s true. In three seconds, she’d make you feel wrapped in love. This was my grandmother.

I made that call several times in my life and she never let me down. Grandma was a wonderful combination of warmth and kindness, laughter, and love. I can still she her smile and hear her laugh.

Yolande Jeanette Boisvert was born on March 10, 1923, in Quebec, Canada the first of four children. She and her siblings eventually made it to Detroit as children. As part of the “greatest generation” she was loyal and committed to her family, patriotic, and lived modestly. She lived through the great depression and looked after her first child when her husband went off to fight in World War II. She raised three “baby boomer” children and worked hard her entire life.

Just shy of 100 years later we wanted to honor the loving and generous spirit and memory of my grandmother and pass her name onto our daughter. It is our hope that her name will provide a reminder of grandma’s spirit that will foster our daughter throughout her life. After hearing the news, I know grandma is smiling in heaven.

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see you all day, and now the day was complete. She was a source of love and security. The parent-child relationship is complex and my Grandmother-grandchild relationships was simple. Grandmas was short on criticism and long on love. Traits I hope we can use with our daughter.

You are still with me every day Grandma. I feel your spirit, your love and my memories of my time with you is source of great comfort. Although you are gone, you are not forgotten. We love you.