A Day Too Late
We made it to Utah & were met with the news that my Grandpa passed away in the early morning hours this morning. I am sad I missed him but am grateful that I have the opportunity to spend this time with my family & that I will be able to attend the funeral; something I thought I would miss.
My Grandpa was a strong & loving man. He was a man of few words but always showed his love through his actions. He had a great sense of humor. Like I said, he didn't say much but when he said something, it was worth listening to. My cousin, Tricia, wrote the following about him:
Grandpa said “Work hard.”
He said it by always working hard. He said it by getting up early and going to work every day and by giving everything he had to whatever he was doing. He said it by never taking shortcuts. He said it by providing quality not quantity.
Grandpa said “If it isn’t broke don’t fix it.”
He said it by using what he had and by making due rather than by getting what he wanted. He said it by hanging on to tools because they worked rather than getting the latest and next best thing. He said it by having the same furniture for 30 years. And by driving the same car until it became unreliable. He said it by building a home rather than a house.
Grandpa said “Don’t be foolish with your money”
He said it by saving, investing and never living outside of his means. He said it by providing well for his family with out spoiling his children. He said it by not spending too much or too little and by not owing anyone anything.
Grandpa said “Rules are not made to be broken”
He said it by always obeying the law. He said it by setting up rules for his children and grandchildren. He said it by always doing what was right no matter the consequence and for disciplining his children and grandchildren when they broke those rules even when it broke his heart.
Grandpa said “It is better to give than to receive”
He said it by never asking for anything. He said it by giving of himself in every way possible to those he loved, never asking for anything in return.
Grandpa said “It is more important to listen than to speak.”
He said it by always listening quietly to what you were saying and absorbing every detail. He said it by responding with a crooked smile when he liked what you said or by a furrowed brow when he thought you were full of it, or by a sad nod if he felt your pain. He said it by remembering the details of your story 20 years after you told it.
Grandpa said “I believe in you”
He said it by letting you fall sometimes over and over and over again…so that when you stood you would know what he already did, that you could do it, no matter how painful of a journey it was.
Grandpa said “Enjoy your life.”
He said it by eating what he liked, by going to jazz games, by taking family vacations, he said it by fishing and golfing and spending time with friends. He said it by traveling and by flying south for the winter. He said it by never complaining about anything because he was enjoying what he had.
Grandpa said “Love your wife more than anything else in this world”
He said it by treating his wife like a treasure. He said it by always putting her first before anything or anyone else. He said it in the way he looked at her and in the way he held her hand. He said it every day for 59 years by getting up every day and wrapping his life around Grandma. He said it by protecting her, taking care of her and always putting her needs or wants before his own. He said by raising amazing sons who also treat their wives with the same devotion. He said it by raising daughters who did not settle for anything less than the same kind of love and devotion even if it took a lifetime to find it.
Grandpa said “Nothing is more important than family”
He said it by never missing a Christmas, or birthday, he said it by making sure that his Family whenever possible got together to celebrate. He said it at baseball games, T ball games, basketball games, football games, blessings and baptisms, weddings and funerals. He said it when his body became so frail it was uncomfortable to sit and yet he still sat for 3 hours to watch his great grand daughter perform in the Savior of the World. He said it by not having Birthday Dinners but by celebrating family. He said it with a look of pride in his eyes as he looked around the room at his Family.
Grandpa said “I love you”
He said it by loving everyone around him unconditionally and by embracing everyone for who they were and not for what they did.
Grandpa said “Have faith & be strong”
He said it by preparing to go to God. He said it by not being afraid of what was next and embracing the new chapter of his life. He said it by believing that everything was going to be okay as long as you lived a good life. He said it by being the glue that held his family together. He said it by being the steady cornerstone of his family. He said it in every word of comfort he offered to his children and wife as they watched his health turn south. He said it by saying “doin good.”
Couldn't have said it better myself.
My Grandpa was a strong & loving man. He was a man of few words but always showed his love through his actions. He had a great sense of humor. Like I said, he didn't say much but when he said something, it was worth listening to. My cousin, Tricia, wrote the following about him:
What Grandpa said with out ever saying a word.....
He said it by always working hard. He said it by getting up early and going to work every day and by giving everything he had to whatever he was doing. He said it by never taking shortcuts. He said it by providing quality not quantity.
Grandpa said “If it isn’t broke don’t fix it.”
He said it by using what he had and by making due rather than by getting what he wanted. He said it by hanging on to tools because they worked rather than getting the latest and next best thing. He said it by having the same furniture for 30 years. And by driving the same car until it became unreliable. He said it by building a home rather than a house.
Grandpa said “Don’t be foolish with your money”
He said it by saving, investing and never living outside of his means. He said it by providing well for his family with out spoiling his children. He said it by not spending too much or too little and by not owing anyone anything.
Grandpa said “Rules are not made to be broken”
He said it by always obeying the law. He said it by setting up rules for his children and grandchildren. He said it by always doing what was right no matter the consequence and for disciplining his children and grandchildren when they broke those rules even when it broke his heart.
Grandpa said “It is better to give than to receive”
He said it by never asking for anything. He said it by giving of himself in every way possible to those he loved, never asking for anything in return.
Grandpa said “It is more important to listen than to speak.”
He said it by always listening quietly to what you were saying and absorbing every detail. He said it by responding with a crooked smile when he liked what you said or by a furrowed brow when he thought you were full of it, or by a sad nod if he felt your pain. He said it by remembering the details of your story 20 years after you told it.
Grandpa said “I believe in you”
He said it by letting you fall sometimes over and over and over again…so that when you stood you would know what he already did, that you could do it, no matter how painful of a journey it was.
Grandpa said “Enjoy your life.”
He said it by eating what he liked, by going to jazz games, by taking family vacations, he said it by fishing and golfing and spending time with friends. He said it by traveling and by flying south for the winter. He said it by never complaining about anything because he was enjoying what he had.
Grandpa said “Love your wife more than anything else in this world”
He said it by treating his wife like a treasure. He said it by always putting her first before anything or anyone else. He said it in the way he looked at her and in the way he held her hand. He said it every day for 59 years by getting up every day and wrapping his life around Grandma. He said it by protecting her, taking care of her and always putting her needs or wants before his own. He said by raising amazing sons who also treat their wives with the same devotion. He said it by raising daughters who did not settle for anything less than the same kind of love and devotion even if it took a lifetime to find it.
Grandpa said “Nothing is more important than family”
He said it by never missing a Christmas, or birthday, he said it by making sure that his Family whenever possible got together to celebrate. He said it at baseball games, T ball games, basketball games, football games, blessings and baptisms, weddings and funerals. He said it when his body became so frail it was uncomfortable to sit and yet he still sat for 3 hours to watch his great grand daughter perform in the Savior of the World. He said it by not having Birthday Dinners but by celebrating family. He said it with a look of pride in his eyes as he looked around the room at his Family.
Grandpa said “I love you”
He said it by loving everyone around him unconditionally and by embracing everyone for who they were and not for what they did.
Grandpa said “Have faith & be strong”
He said it by preparing to go to God. He said it by not being afraid of what was next and embracing the new chapter of his life. He said it by believing that everything was going to be okay as long as you lived a good life. He said it by being the glue that held his family together. He said it by being the steady cornerstone of his family. He said it in every word of comfort he offered to his children and wife as they watched his health turn south. He said it by saying “doin good.”
Couldn't have said it better myself.
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Love you!