This is the letter that I wrote to be read at my Grandpa’s funeral this past Friday as I am on the race. I wanted the family to hear all the great times I had with him and felt like this was one way I could participate being so far away. I know it may be quite long but I want everyone to hear how awesome it was to have him as my grandfather for 24 years of my life. So here it is….
The memories I have of my grandpa seem to revolve around one thing. That he was present in each situation. Most of the memories also come from when we were out in nature together or at his house. He also demonstrated great work ethic by showing me what it was like to be a drywaller in the summers I would help him.
One of his favorite stories to tell people when we were together was how he killed a snake with a hammer. It was a summer day at the farm when I was 10 and grandpa and I were watching Noah cut hay. The two of them were working on the machinery when a 4 foot Blue Racer snake made its way out of a pile of hay, slithering away from us. Grandpa grabber a hammer and hurled it towards the snake that was now 10 feet away. He somehow hit the snake and stunned it enough that we were able to kill it soon after. This is where his favorite part of the story come in. He would tell everyone that I asked “How did you do that grandpa?” He would the say, “I’m just that good!” I don’t quite remember those words exactly but I loved when he would tell the story anyways. I remember being so fascinated with the snake that I even took it home to show mom and dad like it was a trophy that we had killed together. Another story that comes to mind also involves nature and the woods.
I was with Grandpa the first and only time he shot a deer. It was probably one of the first times I went out hunting and definitely sparke my interest in the sport. The two of us went out into the woods where we started walking around instead of just sitting down. We walked the woods for a while and fortunately we came upon a doe where Grandpa pulled up his .410 and shot only once. After waiting for a little while, we started the tracking process. We tracked the blood trail along with Mark and Steve for what seemed like two hours. We were just about to give up when I suddenly thought I saw the deer laying in a pile of brush 100 feet away. No one else seemed to see it so they told me to lead the way. As we got closer everyone else realized I was right. This first memorable time of hunting has lead to many more memories with grandpa.
The other memories associated with hunting involve spending the nights on weekends with grandpa and grandma so I could go out hunting those couple days. When I was younger mom would drop me off at their house on Friday. I also did this when I was old enough to drive as well. Anytime I stayed on the weekend’s, I would sleep out on the blue couch. Grandpa would set in his Lazy Boy chair where we would watch the news or farm shows until I feel asleep. In the mornings, grandma would wake me in time to go hunting. After mostly unsuccessful hunts, I would come back to the house for a hot breakfast and the famous chocolate donuts all us grandkids love. These weekend visits also included snacking on peanuts in the afternoon and helping keep the wood stove hot. Hunting on Thanksgiving day at Grandpa’s house also meant I was one of the first ones to try his smoked turkey meat as well as homemade deer jerky that he always had prepared.
These were some of the most memorable moments I had with him, and Ill cherish them always. Some of the other memories that come to mind include fishing, paddle boarding, and rope swinging in the pond. We spent many hours feeding the fish, or fishing at his pond or lake houses. I also spent countless hours with him and grandma in the woods. This included cutting and stacking wood or driving around on the gators in the paths he had cleared through the woods. I loved these moments we shared in nature because we got to know each other and just be together. I also loved that he included me in all the tasks that were done at the farm.
These tasks varied greatly depending on the season and mostly involved the whole family. In the summer I would ride around in the skid loader as we stacked the hay on wagons or in the barns. The time in the fall usually meant spending a Saturday or two as a whole family making apple cider with grandpa’s apple press. Later in the fall we also got together to butcher some meat as a family. His non-stop work ethic and his constant drive to provide for his family is something I have learned from him and something I plan to carry on in my life.
I also remember the countless times in the summer where I would spend a couple days with him going around to all his drywall jobs. I would be his wing man as he checked in on his jobs and different crews. He even thought me some of the ropes of the profession as well, even though he would have to follow behind me and fix my work most of the times. Somehow I usually ended up with more drywall mud on me then on the wall. I also loved to pour him coffee out of the green thermos while he drove around. The smell of coffee and the smell of his clothes after he came in from tending the wood stove will always be present in my memories as well. I also cant forget that after the countless times I stayed with him, he would send me home with a bag of candy and pop.
Although I cant be at your funeral in person grandpa, I just want to thank you for all the memories we made together. I will hold onto these memories until one day when wwe unite in heaven. I cant wait to tell you about the stories I have made on the race. I thank you for the great influences you were to our whole family as you led all of us down a path of following the Lord. I’m going to miss you grandpa.
