TAHLEQUAH — She is the baker of cookies, the kisser of boo-boos, a seamstress, a cheerleader, a friend, and in general, the spoiler of children.

Today is Gorgeous Grandma Day, and often a grandmother’s actions – rather than her personal appearance – maker her gorgeous.

Former District Attorney Dianne Barker-Harrold, grandmother of 11, said her own grandmothers were strong role models.

“Their beauty, for me, came from within,” said Barker-Harrold. “But in looking at their photos when they were younger, they were both beautiful young women.”

Barker-Harrold grew up “just across the pasture” from both of her grandmothers, and said they had a huge influence on her life.

“They were patient, kind, loving, nonjudgmental, and open to anything you had to say,” she said. “I don’t ever remember a negative thought coming from them. They gave me many life lessons I didn’t even realize I knew until I was grown and had children of my own.”

Barker-Harrold’s own children have always been the center of her universe, and when she became a grandmother, she was “as crazy as a grandmother could be.”

“When the next two were on the way, I wondered how I would feel about the two new ones, and then you find there is a special place and lots of love for each and every one of them,” she said. “With 11 grandchildren ranging in age from 5 weeks to 23 years, they keep me very busy.”

She tries to attend every sporting event and takes lots of photos.

“I have to admit, I miss having them still be at a younger age, because as they grow older they have so many other interests that I have to ‘schedule’ time with them because they are busy with their own friends and working, and I travel a lot. So I treasure each moment with each of them.”

Local resident Lisa Pinnick said her grandmother  is one of the most beautiful people she knows, inside and out.

“She’s said many, many times, ‘True, timeless beauty is in a person’s character. The best facelift is a smile,’” said Pinnick. “She has so many gems like that. I’m lucky to know her and proud to be her granddaughter.”

Often, it’s the little things grandchildren remember that endear grandmothers to them.

“My grandma ran a country store and worked with cattle, but she always wore lipstick and pearls,” said former Tahlequah resident Stacy Pratt. “All of her things – her Bible, her gloves, her purse, her galoshes – were white. When I was little, I thought that was so elegant.”

For others, like Patti Gulager, the sacrifices grandmothers make render them beautiful.

“My Grandma always ate the burned piece of the meat you grilled and told everyone she liked it like so we could have the good ones,” said Gulager. “She also used all the mistakes you made trying to make her an apron and told everyone how beautiful they were and how original your ideas were.”

Like Pratt’s grandmother, Gulager’s matriarch worked in the fields and took care of the farm during the day.

“[But] she wore beautiful dresses and shoes and looked beautiful in the evening,” said Gulager. “She cared for all nine grandchildren at the same time, and taught us about manners and respect for others. She was the most beautiful person in the world to me, inside and out. I think about this often now that I am a grandmother.”

Today, more and more grandparents are raising their grandchildren, as was the case with P.J. Moore.

“My Granny Tad raised me,” wrote more in an e-mail interview. “We held each other up when she lost her only child and I lost my daddy, when I was only 6 years old. It was quite the seclusion to civilization, but I didn’t miss anything, because being by her side was a lot of fun in learning.”

Moore’s grandmother supported her flights of fancy when Moore was a teen, and was always handy with a compliment.

“She provided a strong foundation of God and acceptance that I still build on in today’s circumstances and choices,” wrote Moore. “As I write this brief statement, I can see her smiling face, standing in a cotton dress with an apron on and a can of snuff in the pocket saying, ‘You will never learn how to cook, if you have to use a recipe.’ Boy, did I learn to make good Kool-Aid in split seconds without following the directions. Bless her sweet heart. That is one incredible woman that I truly miss each day of my life. Rest in peace, my Rosie Mounce-Wiley.”

Local resident Pam Moore said both of her grandmothers have died, and like P.J., she misses them terribly.

“They were the best part of my childhood, and a large part of my self-esteem,” said Pam. “I was one of those lucky kids whose grandparents doted on them. I was first-born on both sides of my family.”

Given today’s technology, grandmothers are finding new ways to maintain the ties that bind with their grandchildren.

“I have had to learn to text because none of [my grandchildren] answer their cell phones,” said Barker-Harrold. “And all but the youngest two have cell phones. I also have had to learn Facebook and open my own Facebook account so I can keep up with all their activities when I am traveling. So, they have forced me to be more tech-savvy than I would like to be. I am even getting an iPad and will depend on them for lessons. I love being Granny to Mandy, Sarah, Lindsey, Foster, Spencer, Brooklyn, Wyatt, Logan, Mackenzie, Hannah and Piper, and my great-granddaughter, Natalie. I wouldn’t trade my life with them for anything!”