Granddad

Last Friday evening, Dave received a call from his mom that his grandfather had passed away. It was less than a year ago that we all got together to celebrate his 90th birthday and we were all together just a few weeks ago at Christmas, celebrating with him at Dave's parents with all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a man who loved his family. He sent us birthday cards and Christmas cards every year that always encouraged us and told us we were doing a great job with our beautiful family. Somehow, his approval meant the world. He adored his wife in a way that gives me great inspiration and hope for my future with Dave. Their love was beautiful. Meme passed away about nine years ago when I was pregnant with William. There was never a time that we visited Granddad that we didn't hear stories about Meme. He used to make coffee for her every morning and they would sit in bed and have their coffee and talk before they started their day. Their gorgeous Victorian home was decorated with artwork designed and made by Meme and he loved to take them off of the wall and show them to you and tell their story. She loved butterflies and butterflies still greet you throughout the house. Her perfume bottles are still out and her handmade dresses still hang in the antique wardrobes. Oftentimes, when we would all visit, I would see him watching the family and catch his eyes welling up with tears. I guessed that he felt a mixture of feelings of great joy while he watched his great-grandchildren play and of sadness that he wished Meme could be sitting next to him as they watched together. I imagine that the moment he greeted her in Heaven was glorious. But, the time he continued to live without her on earth was not spent only in grief. He continued to give back to his community by serving with the Bread Partners and with the Historical Society. He supported a local theatre and still had notecards for tours of their house sitting in all the rooms. In fact, when he passed, he was on the back porch, dressed up, waiting for his friends to pick him up for a Historical Society meeting. That seemed to fit him, dignified and peaceful, delivered into the arms of his Creator.

We love you, Granddad, and look forward to the day when we will all be worshipping together in the presence of Jesus.

If you'd like to read more about Granddad, you can click on the links of Dave's sisters' blogs to the right.