Dolores Augusta Benkendorf McCann

One of the best women role models I had as a child was my grandmother Dolores McCann. She is still alive today, at the ripe age of 87. Alzheimer's has taken away much of what we know is her true personality, however there is still some feisty-ness in her.

I used to spend my summers on the farm near Ransom, IL, "walking beans," mowing tons of grass (I rode along for fun) and freezing thousands of bags of sweet corn. I had my first can of TAB in one of downtown Ransom's finest diners, along with a greasy cheeseburger and fries. Heavenly. I still drink TAB to this day.

I think I was about 7 years old and I asked her how old she was. She said "thirty-nine." I thought for a moment and then said "That can't be right grandma, my mom is thirty-seven!" Things were silent for a second or two and then she said "Oh all right, well I'm 45 then." I grinned at her, thinking that I caught her in a little white lie, and I remember her smiling right back at me, just as cocky, because she's the one who still had me fooled :) Feisty!