Mary and John Maybin were the grandparents of Cousins Krissy and Nikki. They shared their two granddaughters with Grandma Muffet (Grandpa died right after Krissy was born) and I was her only other grandchild. Due to this and not having a grandson, Grandma and Grandpa Maybin took me on as their own grandchild. She also considered my parents to be her family. Grandma Maybin would host Thanksgiving at her home for Grandpa Maybin, their children and grandchildren. Since hosting them would have left Grandma Muffet, Mom, Dad, and I without anyone to celebrate Thanksgiving with, she would invite the four of us over for lunch.
When I was little, Grandpa Maybin would invite the family with him to the Barberton VFW and that meant inviting my parents and I. The children would get gifts and he would say he had three grandchildren, so I would get a gift too. Grandpa Maybin died in 1992, at the age of 70, when I was eight years old. I went to the calling hours and it was the first time I saw a person in a casket. In 1995, Grandma Maybin and Susie moved and we continued to celebrate Thanksgiving in their new home. In 2004, due to scheduling conflicts with Krissy and Nikki's in-laws, the family's Thanksgiving celebration was moved from Thursday to Friday. During the last 15 years, Grandma Maybin gradually turned over the responsibilities of making the meal to Susie. In 2012, they hosted Thanksgiving for the final time before turning it over to Aunt Kathy in 2013.
In addition to Thanksgiving, we all got together every Christmas and exchanged gifts. There were also some Easters when we got together too. Any other time there was something going on with Aunt Kathy, Uncle Tom, Krissy or Nikki, we all got together. Since Uncle Tom's family were like family to us, I invited Grandma Maybin and Susie to my BHS graduation party in 2003 and my University of Akron graduation lunch in 2008.
During a family get-together in January, Grandma Maybin wasn't able to join us since she was in the hospital. It was an unusual feeling not having her there, but she was back again when Nikki and Andrew hosted Easter at their house for the first time. It ended up being the last time I saw or talk to Grandma Maybin before she died on July 3, 2014 at the age of 92.
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