I started with a Great Grandma, 2 Grandmothers, and one Grandfather, my dad's father died the year I was born.
My Great Grandmother (maternal great grandmother on my grandfather's side) was a card from what I have been told, she worked for Genovese as a bookkeeper, she was widowed in the flu pandemic of 1918, and named her first child with my great grandfather after her first husband. I remember her as the grandmother I used to walk down the street and visit. I would go into her pantry and get her carpet sweeper, sweep the little kitchen rug, and she would reward me with marshmallows. She died when I was 5.
I was not close to my Paternal Grandmother. She came from a relatively wealthy family. She had my dad when she was 37 and I think his dad was 45. By the time my dad was 10 his father got sick, and money was really tight, both grandparents started drinking. By the time I was old enough to remember she was in a nursing home. We would visit her on Christmas each year. All I remember is sitting in the room listening to her talk. She was kind of funny, but like my dad, in a sarcastic way. She died when I was 12.
My Maternal Grandfather died last year. He was Pop-pop, not only to his own grandchildren, but to all the kids on the block. He was a quiet guy, but was the one everyone went to to get air in their bike tires, get a part for a TV, borrow a tool. He was a volunteer fireman for over 40 years. He was the one to teach my dad how to do just about anything, work on cars, do house repairs, he didn't just show him how to do it, he made him do it so he learned. He was a wonderful grandfather, and good with the great grandchildren to, he so enjoyed when my little guy came along, and we would visit. I miss him.
We lived down the block from these grandparents for the first 8 years of my life, until my parents divorced, and after a year with my mom, we ended up with my dad and step-mom.
My maternal grandmother is an amazing woman. Her body is breaking down, but her mind is better then mine. She is/was able to live a comfortable and very generous life while living off of a maximum of $15,000 a year that my grandfather made. Again she is Mom-mom to everyone, not just her grandchildren. Whenever any of the kids in the neighborhood needed a band aid, or a cookie they went to Mom-mom's. Whenever an adult grandchild needed a couch to crash on, or a more long term arrangement she was there. Any time mom (or my aunt) needed a baby sitter she was there. When my parent's divorced they took in my dad (their SIL) for 6 months until he found his own place.
After we moved in with my dad and step-mom, (about an hour away) we would visit these grandparents most weekends. They would take us shopping and Mom-mom would give my brother and I $2 each to buy what we wanted. Each weekend she would make us a big breakfast, either pancakes or french toast. And each Sunday we would have a big early supper. I remember we would watch The Carol Burnett show, The Mandrell Sisters, and Love Boat together. We stayed many weeks in the summer to, and they would bring us camping with them, and also to a large annual family reunion with my grandmothers cousin's family in Pa.
When my dad married my step-mom (6 weeks after they met

) we were blessed with 2 more grandparents and 2 more great-grandmothers. We didn't see my step-grandparents as much as Mom-mom and Pop-pop (my dad and step-mom were at the step-grandparent's house visiting while we were with M-M and P-Pop. One Great-grandmother, Gram, had Alzheimer's and I don't think I got to know the real her. The other Great grandmother lived well into her 90's worked well into her 80's and was independent till very near the end. Strong woman, and what I knew of her I liked. My step-grandparents were loving, my step-grandfather, always used to say they got their girl with me, because all the cousins were boys. We were evenly included in Christmas, and whenever we visited we were treated well, just like the other grandchildren. They retired to a bungalow on the water and we would be able to enjoy the beaches and crabbing there. Grandma would always make sure everyone got dessert. She always would sneak us a few dollars as we left for home. They also gave my parents care packages, bags filled with food for us to take home, so we were never without during the lean times. My step-grandmother died in 1998, and Step-GF 5 months later.
My children's most involved grandparent was my Step-mom. She was the one who gave them ice cream for breakfast, would play with them for hours, had sleepovers, and just truly accepted them for who they are. She died in 2003 when my girls were 10 and 6. Now they visit with my in-laws, we moved about 45 minutes away, and they are involved when they are around, DMIL still will get down and play on the floor with my 4 year old, but they just don't have that strong relationship with them. I think my little guy is closer to my Grandmother and Aunt then any of his grandparents. My dad moved out of state about a year after my step mom died. We see him for Christmas, and have vacationed with him at WDW and Hilton Head quite a few times. The girls are pretty close to him, but with all the distance it isn't the same.
Donna