Our Great Grandma

Catherine Bacus Caffee was born in 1879. Both her grandfather (Jesse R. Bacus Sr.) and her husband's father (Thomas Jefferson Caffee) fought for the Union in the Civil War. Here was a woman who knew something about the pioneer spirit and she modeled it confidently before her entire family (including 112 grandchildren!).

Still, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that one of her grandchildren would be confronted with kidney disease... let alone that his life would be spared through the miracle of a kidney transplant.

Grandma Caffee lived with our family in the late 1950's. She loved being near to her great grandsons, and we loved being close to her. She had more love than we could ever absorb. Life was perfect in her care.

Recently, we uncovered a note she had written on the back of a photograph (Christmas 1958) as she reflected on how concerned she was for Darel. Grandma was a member of the Anaheim First Church of the Nazarene and she nurtured the development of our faith in God. She prayed for each of us, but none more so than for Darel. She loved her little grandson so much and the great desire of her heart was for him to be well and to be happy.

We are pleased to report that Grandma Caffee lived to see her miracle. On August 14, 1969 she would receive word that Darel had received his transplanted kidney, just as she had prayed for so long. She never lost faith, and this woman of another century had lived to witness the impossible. Oh yeah, and man walked on the moon that summer as well.

Two years later, Catherine Caffee was gone. When our family met to determine how they should honor her life, they chose to direct their gifts to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Darel would later have the honor of showing us her name on the Befrienders Wall. Grandma may be gone... but not her love... not her faith... not her influence. We remain grateful to this day for God's provision for each of us in our Great Grandma Caffee.