Last month, my grandfather passed away. This is not something that was totally unexpected but the final weeks went by a lot quicker than expected.
I wanted to do a blog to record what a remarkable man my grandfather was.
I consider myself very lucky that I was able to live close to all my grandparents. It is because of frequent visits that I was able to really begin to understand who my grandfather was and what a wonderful man he is, because he very easily could be misunderstood. It is also because of his proximity I was able to understand and appreciate the greatness of this man as well as his quirks.
His practical and efficient understanding of the world is definitely something I, and most of my family have inherited. It is because of this outlook that he was so successful in many aspects of his life. This propelled him to success in his work life, who actually created an award named after him due to his success. After his retirement, he adopted a module used at work to help different church auxiliaries to evaluate their own productive and goal completion. Even after he had left work, my grandpa saw how the work he did could benefit more than just his employer.
He was not one to tell stories or waste time, he was much more by the facts. I remember once I asked him to tell me about his childhood, he quickly responded "I already wrote my life history, read that and let me know if you had questions." Like I mentioned, he is quirky but right, why write a book if you plan to tell the story anyway? It was this honesty that made my him so trustworthy. When I brought over a prom dress to show my grandmother, she fussed all about how wonderful it looked. When I showed my grandpa he said with a grim face "That actually looks very nice." My grandmothers words helped me feel great at the prom, but my grandpas words are the reason I still own that dress today. Because he said the dress looked nice I knew that it really really did.
My grandfather was truly converted and dedicated to the work of the Lord. He served in many capacities including bishop, stake president and in the Oregon Temple presidency. Because of his righteousness he was able to seal most of his grandchildren, including Brent and I, in the temple for time and all eternity. He understood the blessing that came for holding tight to the gospel and living our lives in accordance with the gospel. The family that my grandpa left behind is also something I have always been impressed with. Not simply because I am apart of it, but because his five children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren have grown up with an understanding of the importance and great blessing of the gospel.
It was not until much later in life that I realized how supportive and loving my grandfather was towards my grandmother. He was practical and her family was a bunch of big thinkers and dreamers. I think he provided her stability but he never squandered his "free" side. My grandmother was a painter, writer, illustrator, and quilter. Not only did he support her in these efforts but he took her books and transferred them to electronic forms so they could be distributed to kids and grandkids. I always saw my grandmothers art hung around their home. These small things made me realized that my grandpa truly was a supportive companion and truly loved my grandmother. There marriage is one that I gain much insight from.
My grandmother was the one who kept in touch with all the doings of the kids and grandkids. When I was taking a trip to Mexico, my grandma became very worried. She had watched a news show about how blonde girls were aducted from mexico because of the rarity of that trait. I thought it was a silly concern and luckily was right. After she passed away, my grandfather tried his hardest to pick up the slack. This was not one of his talents. Whenever I would call him I would have to remind him who I was before chatting. Last November, I called to tell my grandpa I was pregnant. After confirming this was our first, I also mentioned that we were about to travel to Thailand. Almost immediately my grandpa told me that I had better consider not going because of that little baby. His worry and concern reminded me of my grandmother. Although both concerns seemed silly to me, the love expressed by both grandparents is something I will always treasure. It is was really then that although my grandfather had trouble being updated like my grandma, he still had the same love she did.
There are so many things about my grandpa that I love, most of which I now realize are hard to articulate. One of the things I will probably miss the most is all the stories. As I mentioned, my grandfather is not a story-teller but he gave everyone around him stories to tell. I personally have to many to share.
I am so grateful that Brent and I were able to celebrate my grandfathers life, and I am more blessed to know that he is currently with my grandmother, sharing the gospel in the after life. His example is one that I am blessed to have in my life. All of my grandparents have provided me with love and examples of how I can live my life.
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