My grandmother was a formidable woman: she raised five children on her own, ran a haulage business and was always impeccably dressed and completely composed. I imagine many people thought of her as a bit remote and formal, and she wasn’t the sort of grandmother who gets down on the floor to play with you: but her formality was her way of coping with all she had to deal with.
She was my role model for how I wanted to live my life: she showed me the way. She was feisty, confident and calm; and she had a very strong work ethic, she ran her business into her 80s. She loved clothes and she loved looking good.
My middle name is Maria, after her, and it’s always felt a privilege to have her name. She showed me how to cope with all that life would bring, and to do it cheerfully. She would have been in her late 50s when I was born, and she died about 20 years ago when she was in her 80s. She’ll go on being my role model for a long time to come - and she may seem even more relevant as I reach the age she was when I remember her.
Is there someone you’d like to say thank you to? Write to us atmagazine@observer.co.uk
