We always called my grandmother "Baubi," which was a misspelling of the Yiddish word "Bubbe." I was never sure who misspelled it first, but it stuck. She rarely talked about her life before she had children, but I know that she went to college (a rarity for a Jewish woman of her time), and obtained a masters degree in psychology. 
She was always fascinated with people, logic, and puzzles. For as long as I can remember, she was always scribbling down Sudoku squares, counting cards in Blackjack, and winning at Scrabble. She never went easy on anyone-- not even kids or beginners-- and she never lost. Her puzzles were a treasured part of her. 
One game she made up (presumably to keep us kids occupied) was the "Mammal Game." In a circle, every person has to name a mammal. Any hesitation or repeats results in disqualification. Baubi's memory was perfect. She could name hundreds of mammals without duplicates, if anyone could keep up for long enough. As far as I know, there is no written record of the mammal game.

– Avis Elfman

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant