My Grandpa

As most of you know I am home in Indiana for my grandpa's funeral. He was a loving Christian man who just turned 90 this past October. He was still driving, paying bills, going out with his friends and enjoying life until he contracted pneumonia about a week and a half ago and couldn't beat it. My mom asked me to write a few words to be read (not by me!) at his funeral and I wanted to put it on my blog. So here it is.

When I think of my grandpa the first thing that comes to my mind is love. He had a love for everyone, rich and poor, young and old, everyone everywhere. But the greatest love he had was for the Lord. For he knew the greatest commandments as spoken by Jesus in Mark 12:30-31- “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
As young grandchildren he always tried to instill in us the importance of having a relationship with God. He followed the advice in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 5-7. “Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. The commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” When I was away at college and in North Carolina he always asked about the church I was involved in and the friends I hung out with. He wanted me to stay close to God throughout my life and I am grateful for his consistent urging of me to develop that relationship with Christ.
My grandpa also had a love of music. I remember him telling me about the times he would sing with my grandma, mom, and aunt at churches around the area. He’s always been involved in a church choir, singing tenor all the way! I know he was so proud of my mom and her musical abilities. I loved watching him listen to her play the piano, nodding his head and humming the whole song through. I think he was also proud of his grandchildren who learned to play the piano and sing. It seems as though we would always play or sing a song whenever we would go to my grandparent’s house for a family get together, a gathering of friends, or just for my grandpa and grandma to hear! I know he was so proud of each and every one of his grandchildren.
There are so many wonderful things I remember about my grandfather. Here are a few snippets of memories.
Growing and picking vegetables from his garden in the summer.
Him staying with me when I was home sick from school.
Trying to get me to eat a radish and mayonnaise sandwich.
All the different foods he would mix together to eat and sincerely enjoy the taste of!
Riding on his lawnmower to my parent’s house just to stop by and say hi.
A knock on the door and a “who-who”
Every prayer starting with the words “our kind ‘n heavenly father”
Watching him dance at my sister’s wedding
Sitting at the table and playing Uno together.
The red cap.

When I think of him now I know I shouldn't grieve. He’s up in heaven with his Savior singing his heart away in that tenor voice of his. And I can’t wait until I see him again!

Thank you all for your kind words and support through this difficult time for my family. I appreciate every last word, prayer, and thought!