In truth we can only know our unknown past from the moment. It is even better we don't struggle with unraveling the mysteries behind these pasts of ours. It almost an impossible task, and in many cases, it is just better with at peace with our present...
From your writing, your family is certainly a unique one. You grandma most importantly, she must have been a unique personality. Even though you certainly do not have a tangible knowledge about her, her ability to preserve memorable information is simply unique.
Nice encouraging your post @ladyrebecca. Apart from the amazing story of your family, you are a wonderful writer