Olga Grana

This was a time in history where movies were still silent and the American economy was good. Puerto Rico was still under the control of US Military.

She was the youngest of 7 children. And even though they were poor, they were rich when it came to family. Her father, Rafael Graña, was a shoemaker and a carpenter and he taught her and the rest of the family about honor, tradition and most importantly… family.

The oldest brother, Rafael Luis, was the first to go to college and work with the federal government. He helped his family move to San Juan and give Olga a High School education, which at that time was like going to college now. When she graduated she was certified to be a secretary and started working as a bookkeeper.

When she wasn’t working she was doing what she loved the most, fashion. She had an ability to reverse engineer any dress design she saw in a magazines and even make improvements upon them. She would always be wearing the latest design of that time.

She loved many things, romantic movies, her favorite being Gone with the Wind, going to the beach during the summer, visiting her family in Mayagüez, and dancing. She was like many of us when we were young and carefree.

She even lived for a small period of time in Philadelphia with her siblings. But in the end she returned back to take care of her parents who were older and needed attention. After her father passed away she decided to put her life to the side and take care of her mother, who we all called “Mama”, full time. She would not leave her side until the she passed away at the age of 105.

She supported her mother and family members by doing book keeping at home and she didn’t retire until 5 years ago.

She never got married though she was never short of a suitor knocking at her door and she never had children. Nevertheless, she got the chance of being a second mother to Rafaelito Graña, the son of her older brother, Rafael Luis and his wife, Crusita. Crusita had bad health and due to that Olga would always be there to help out. She was always there to take Rafaelito to school and too scream at him when she couldn’t find him after. Even though she didn’t like to cook, she would make him rice with a fried egg on top. She also made a great café con leche (coffee with milk) with a side of bread to dip in it.

She believed in G-d but not enough to be able to go on a plane alone. She would need family to fly with her. I think she believed that if she had to go she would be with someone familiar.  Now even though she may have been afraid of flying she had no fear of driving in Puerto Rico, which the best I can compare it too is New York but worse. That’s the kind of road where you are thanking G-d every time you make it to the mall.

She bought a house in San Juan, which would allow her nieces, Betsy and Elsa, to visit her. They were the daughters of her older sister, Isabelita Graña. They would stay every summer and holidays with her. My mother was taught to sew from her. She even made it possible for Betsy and Elsa to have a better education by getting their father, a job in the factory in San Juan.

She was happy, creative, never cursed nor spoke ill of anyone. She was a caring daughter, a wonderful sister and amazing aunt. She is also the last of her siblings to leave this world. She leaves us to be with her parents, brothers and sisters. She leaves behind a priceless legacy, which is… family.