On February 1, I had the great fortune to deliver a special Boiler care package to Violet Cole, affectionately known across campus as Grandma Vi, in celebration of her 90th birthday.
Grandma Vi worked at Windsor On-the-Go! for over twenty years after retiring from Eli Lilly in 1997. Early on, her student co-workers called her “Grandma” during their shared shifts and one day she discovered her name tag had been replaced. From that day on, she was known as Grandma Vi.
As I walked up to her Lafayette home balancing a Boiler Basket, flowers, a super-sized Res Hall chocolate chip cookie and over 100 birthday cards, I will admit I was nervous. Grandma Vi had long ago retired from Purdue Dining & Culinary so I had never met her and here I was, a stranger bearing gifts.
A tiny-framed woman answered my knock and immediately ushered me into her home. I barely got out the words, “Happy Birthday Grandma…” before I was enveloped in a hug. In an instant, we were surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law and great nephew, all while standing in her dining room. Her late husband, Joseph, was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during World War II, and her home décor beamed Purdue and American pride.
I introduced myself, expressing birthday wishes from her University Residences and Purdue Dining & Culinary family. While many students did not personally know Grandma Vi, they, like me, had heard the name and knew the stories, and were eager to write a card extending birthday notes and gratitude for her years of service. Many staff recalled memories of working with Grandma Vi, the deep meaningful relationships she formed with students, and their reverence for her. I even learned ‘A Hug from Grandma Vi’ made a bucket list of things Purdue students should do before they graduate.
For over an hour, Grandma Vi and her family regaled me with stories of students she had known and loved, their challenges and successes, and their dreams. Her daughter proudly shared that many of her mother’s students still write thanking her for her unwavering personal care and send updates, 10 and even 15 years later.
Through the stories shared with me, I already felt I had known her for years – and after only five minutes in her home, that feeling only intensified.
At 90 years young, Grandma Vi knew names, hometowns and individual details with wicked recollection and deep admiration. What a gift it was to help celebrate an Ever-True Boilermaker on a very special 90th birthday.
Written by: Renee Kashawlic, alumni relationships and special events director, University Residences and Dining & Culinary