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Grandma marks 85 years with second tattoo
Five years ago, Donna Shaw and her daughter and granddaughter received matching tattoos to mark Donna's 80th birthday. That's them, below. They vowed to do a tattoo every five years, so the trio was at Duluth Tattoo Company last week making good on the pact. Donna was a model customer, artist Jenna Walton said.
Five years ago, Brady Schwartz, Donna Shaw, and Deb Hendrickson got angel tattoos. This year, it was a tree and wings holding a heart to celebrate Donna's bIrthday.
Tattoo artist Jenna Walton listens to the chatter among Donna, Deb and Brady.
The new tattoos, covered with a protective film last week, didn't match, like last time, but Donna, Brady and Deb Hendrickson kept an every-five-years promise.
Donna Shaw pushes her wheeled walker down the middle of Duluth Tattoo Company, headed for Jenna Walton's station. The artist inked an 83-year-old recently, so the 85-year-old Donna isn't much of a surprise on this Thursday in West Duluth.
Donna is cool as a deep fall day, cracking wise here and there. This is old hat for her.
"Wherever they couldn't find a wrinkle," she says of the tattoo she got five years ago. The angel holding a heart on her forearm matches the ones her daughter, Deb Hendrickson, and granddaughter, Brady Schwartz wear. The trio decided to get the tattoos in 2019 to mark Donna's 80th birthday that August. It came with a promise to do it every five years.
"Just for fun," Deb said as they waited in the tattoo shop lobby Sept. 26, all three getting ready for Round 2 while also wrangling a couple of great-grandkids. It took a month for them to get their schedules aligned and meet at the shop.
Deb is the most hesitant this second time around.
It's a firm "no" when Donna is asked if her first tattoo session hurt at all.
"It did," Deb says immediately of her own experience five years ago.
Sure, Donna was a bit nervous that first time. "But then they were done and I said, 'Huh?' It really just tingled a bit."
Donna eventually enjoyed the first tattoo experience. This time, no quibbles at all.
Now Walton is prepping Donna's left arm, opposite of the first tattoo, placing a temporary stencil of wings holding a heart. That's what will guide Walton in inking the design.
In the next booth is Brady, who is throwing a bit of a curve ball by getting a tattoo on her ankle, of a pine tree. Deb waits in the wings, still looking pensive.
In the middle of the heart on Donna's tattoo are initials, L.S., for her late husband Loyde Shaw.
"He's probably turning over in his grave," Donna says as Walton gets to work with her cordless needle device. "If he was living, no, this wouldn't be happening."
Then she shrugs, agreeing that "you only live once."
Donna and Loyde were a team back when they lived near Elde's Corner east of Esko. They were owner-operators of an over-the-road trucking business. "One way to see the United States," she says.
Today, she lives in Cloquet, as does Brady. Deb lives in Floodwood.
Donna talks of her favorite trips across the western U.S., and one tangled trip through Los Angeles.
Walton checks in. "How you doing?"
"Just fine."
Walton says she is amazed by Donna's demeanor. She said she's had 18-year-olds shaking on her table, saying it hurts and begging her to stop. Not Donna.
"I could work with you all day," Walton says.
By now, Deb and Brady are watching Donna get worked on. Brady is pleased with her "happy little tree."
Eventually, Deb got a tattoo matching her mother's, with the initials of a late grandchild.
Reflecting on the new tattoos this week, Deb is pleased with the now tradition. Reminded that the impetus came from her, she laughs. "I guess it was my idea. I forgot about that because (Donna) agreed to it so fast the first time."
Donna remains bright about this whole tattoo business, and smiles thinking about another round at 90. "I gotta be here until then," she quips.
