# Poll: Dopers' Grandparents **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099 "2005-10-27T01:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/1 "2005-10-27T01:45:31Z")
Every time I hear someone in their 30s or even older mention their living grandparents, it startles me for a moment. I’ve come to the conclusion that I have _no idea_ how old a person “typically” is when they’ve lost theirs. So here’s a poll to find out not only about others’ grandparents, but who the oldest dopers are with living grandparents, and the youngest without. (I’m 99% sure I was not the youngest to lose them all.) A. How old are you? B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?) C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died? a. 28 b. no c. paternal grandmother died 2 years before I was born; maternal grandmother died when I was 7; maternal grandfather died when I was 18; paternal grandfather died when I was 23. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/2 "2005-10-27T01:51:57Z")
A. 37 B. 2 of 4 still living (both grandmothers) C. Paternal grandfather died December 2001, 2 weeks short of his 97th birthday; maternal grandfather died August 2004, age 87. (Yes, we are a crusty bunch.) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/3 "2005-10-27T01:55:28Z")
A. 41 B. None alive C. Paternal grandfather died about 10 years before I was born; paternal grandmother died about three months before I was born; maternal grandfather died when I was 8; maternal grandmother died when I was 16. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/4 "2005-10-27T02:02:52Z")
A. 48 B. Paternal grandmother is still living, if that’s what you want to call it. C. Maternal grandfather when I was 10 or 11, grandmother when I was 23, paternal grandfather when I was 43. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/5 "2005-10-27T02:04:15Z")
I’m 25. Maternal grandmother still going strong at 90 and flirting with all the men in her senior’s residence. Paternal grandmother is 85. Maternal grandfather died at the age of 69 when I was 5 years old. We never knew my paternal grandfather at all - he was out of the picture long before I was born. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/6 "2005-10-27T02:04:57Z")
1)22 2) 3/4 of my grandparents are still alive; my mother’s father died when she was seven but he doesn’t really “count” for me. My grandmother’s second husband, my “real” grandpa, died when I was six. I still had a great-grandparent until recently; my mother’s grandmother died a year or so ago. My mom is 46 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Carm6773](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@Carm6773](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carm6773)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/7 "2005-10-27T02:08:01Z")
A. 32 B. none C. Maternal grandfather died 14 years before I was born, Paternal grandfather died 1 month after I was born, Maternal grandmother died when I was 7 and a half years old. I have no idea when my Paternal grandmother died. ---
**Author:** ![IrreverentTone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@IrreverentTone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IrreverentTone)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/8 "2005-10-27T02:14:30Z")
40 no I was 4 in 1969, 13 in 1978, 14 in 1979 and my maternal grandmother died early in 1993 when I was 27. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/9 "2005-10-27T02:16:08Z")
a) 45 b) no c) [sup]1[/sup]Maternal grandfather 21 years before I was born. [sup]2[/sup]Paternal grandfather four years before I was born. [sup]3[/sup]Paternal grandmother: I was 8. [sup]4[/sup]Maternal grandmother: I was 32 Also, I had a step-grandfather. He was about 60, and I was 10 when he died from complications from a stroke. [sup]1[/sup]Age 27. Died of complications from burns covering most of his body. Leaving my grandmother with four children from 7 months to 7 years old. [sup]2[/sup]Age 72. Don’t know cause. [sup]3[/sup]Age 79. Alzheimer’s [sup]4[/sup]Age 80. Also Alzheimer’s. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/10 "2005-10-27T02:28:10Z")
1. 53 2. No 3. Maternal grandfather died before I was born; I’m named after him. Next was my paternal grandfather, who died when I was 30; he was 83. My paternal grandmother died about three years later. My maternal grandmother lived to 96, and died when I was 41. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/11 "2005-10-27T02:39:49Z")
**A. How old are you?** 34 **B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?)** One: my maternal grandfather. He turned 90 in April, and I’m going to visit him (300+ miles away) in two weeks. 🙂 **C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died?** My paternal grandfather died when I was 8; I barely remember him. My dad’s mom died when I was 25, and my mom’s mom died when I was 27. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/12 "2005-10-27T02:52:15Z")
a. 45 b. no c. Paternal grandfather was killed in a car wreck before I was born. Paternal grandmother died when I was 9. Maternal grandmother died when I was 3. Maternal grandfather died when I was 19. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/13 "2005-10-27T03:03:25Z")
A. How old are you? 36 B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?) My paternal grandmother is still alive, she’s 87 and a cancer survivor. C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died? My paternal grandfather died when I was 11. My maternal grandfather died when I was 12. My maternal grandmother died when I was 18. All died from some form of cancer. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/14 "2005-10-27T03:07:41Z")
**A. How old are you?** 57 **B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?)** No **C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died?** My maternal grandfather died when I was 25 and he was 80; My remaining grandparents all died in their mid-90s when I was approaching 40. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/15 "2005-10-27T03:13:22Z")
A. How old are you? B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?) C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died? a. 43 b. No c. Maternal grandfather died when I was 13. Maternal grandmother died when I was 14. Paternal grandfather died when I was about 30. Paternal grandmother died when I was 42. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/16 "2005-10-27T03:17:52Z")
**A. How old are you?** 35 **B. Are any of your grandparents alive? (if so, which?)** My maternal grandparents are hale and hearty at the tender age of 83. **C. If they’re not, how old were you when they died?** My maternal grandmother died when I was maybe four. I have no paternal grandfather. Okay, if you want to get all technical and scientific about it, I understand that from a biological perspective someone fathered my father. But we don’t know who that is, so as far as I’m concerned, I have no paternal grandfather. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/17 "2005-10-27T03:20:13Z")
A.) 20 B.) 3 of 4, both grandmothers and my paternal grandfather C.) Maternal grandfather died when I was nine or so. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/18 "2005-10-27T03:25:45Z")
I’m 30. Well, I have 3 grandmothers alive [2 biological (78 & 69), 1 adoptive (90)] and 1 grandfather [step (67)] alive and 1 [biological] unknown. My dad’s dad remarried long before I was born and I called her grandma but she doesn’t feel like one. She’s still alive too. Two grandfathers died when I was 18 in 1992 and 1993. Going further during my lifetime I lost 3 great grandmothers between 1984 and 1994 and 2 great grandfathers in 1980 and 1983. I also lost a great great grandmother when I was very young. All I know was she was 102 when I was born. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/19 "2005-10-27T03:30:53Z")
A: 19 B: Maternal grandmother. She’s in her mid-eighties and, assuming I don’t kill myself in a spectacularly idiotic way while still young, I want to be her when I grow up. C: Paternal grandmother died in June 2004, when I was 17. Paternal grandfather died when I was about 5 or 6. Maternal grandfather died years before I was born. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099/20 "2005-10-27T03:36:17Z")
a) 29. b) Yes, three of them. I also have one living great-grandparent, who is 105. c) Paternal grandfather died when I was nineteen, aged 87. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-dopers-grandparents/328099.md?page=2)