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Watch for our Special Senior Class Publication Every Month! Brainerd Dispatch, Tuesday, November 16, 2010 Neighbors Weekend Edtion, Friday, November 19, 2010 A TRIBUTE One row at a time By DEANN BARRY When I was asked if I wanted to write a memorial for Greti Hill, I was hesitant. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I was very close to Greti. So writing this is very personal for me. Greti and her husband, Jerry, were friends with my mother and father-in-law for many years. So, when I became execu- tive director of the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center, where Greti was an active member and a volunteer, we already shared “history.” 20 – MARCH 20 - 26, 2011 – BRAINERD, MN/DISPATCH Over the past six years that I have been the senior center’s director,we have added to that history! Greti had volunteered as a h f t desk taught knitting how much history she knew and had lived. She grew up in Germany before World War II and her memory was as clear in 2010 as it was when the war broke out. The remembrance of shocking events maybe doesn’t leave you unmarked; it did- n’t Greti. She told of the history after one of our monthly dinners once, complete with photos, books, memorabilia and she touched many with her sharing. She also had brought with her her citizenship papers.There were 43 pages to it. She had to learn to speak, read and write English before she could become a citizen. It left me impressed with her desire to become a U.S. citizen. To those who knew Greti well, speak- ing her mind was just how it was. There i h t was on her mind the line, and as long as I had an explana- tion for my opinion, she was all right with that. A person whom Greti had taught to knit shared with me that at one of the beginning classes the directions seemed overwhelming and Greti had stated we are going to knit just one row at a time and that is how we are going to do those directions. Somehow, I think that she was teaching more than just knitting. That’s just how she was. Rather than this being a memorial, I would like it to be a tribute.A tribute to a one-of-a-kind, wonderful, faith-based, classy lady who was 88 years young. She lived life to its fullest and gave back more than her share. Many will miss Greti. But we will take each day one row at a time. Full page ad Greti Hill, a Brainerd resident who came i f m Germany died Nov. 3.

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