Bessie Gwillim Law

Born: ♀ Bessie Gwillim (Bess)

January 6, 1886

Bristol, CT

Died: October 25, 1983

Bristol, CT

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Spouse: Harry Nathan Law (m. June 25, 1912, Portland, ME)

Child: Reed Gwillim Law

Parents: Thomas Ingraham Gwillim and Emma Augusta Moore Gwillim

Siblings: Stanley Sessions Gwillim, Harland Dennett Gwillim, Reese Vincent Gwillim (died in infancy), and Harold Evans Gwillim

Education

• Bristol High School: 2 years
• Kents Hill School, Kents Hill, ME: 1 year
• Shaw's Business College, Portland, ME: 3 months

Career

• American Silver Co., clerk
• General Motors, stenographer

Accomplishments

• Taught Sunday School for 50 years at Asbury Methodist Church
• Learned to drive a car at age 66, taught by Edith Lewin in Cortland
• Visited shut-ins frequently
• At age 83, acted in a home movie to accompany the song "Little Old Lady from Pasadena"
• Perhaps the first person ever to celebrate reaching three gigaseconds of age with a few friends (January 1981)

Reminiscences

Reed Gwillim Law Jr. remembers: Grammy (Bessie) was probably the person who loved me the most during my growing-up years. She had a strong personality and was always trying to do for people. She focused on her connections with close relatives, like brothers, nieces and nephews.

She told me that one of Gramp (Harry)'s favorite foods was corned beef and cabbage, and she had to learn to like it for his sake.

She paid attention to my interests, especially math, and made a point of buying gifts, such as books and games that fit with that.

When I was studying at MIT, and felt glum and lonely, I would sometimes just hop on a Greyhound bus and spend the weekend visiting her.

Health

• Climbed steep staircases at age 97
• Died of pancreatic cancer

Faith

Active Christian

Oral history given to Gwillim Law

Oral history given to Ruthie Dittman