On March 24, 1926 in a small town, a baby was born. His parents didn't know it, but he would grow up to be an amazing man who would be loved by all who knew him. This little boy had a rough childhood; he grew up in an orphanage until a wonderful foster family took him in to call him their own. From there on out, he was loved and cared for as if he was one of their own.
As the years went by, this little boy grew into a strapping young man. He knew he wanted more in life, so he decided to serve his country as a US Marine during WWII. After he returned home, he married a beautiful young woman and settled down to start a family. He continued his service as a firefighter, eventually becoming chief of a small town department. Affectionately nicknamed “Whitey” because of his brilliantly light hair, he was loved by the entire community, but most of all his family.
He went on to have 5 children; 2 girls and 3 boys. They lived a happy life in their quiet small town, a happy life filled with all the qualities that movies are made of. Christmases in front of the tree as a family, homemade Easter outfits, boyscout camping trips, and, most importantly, an abundance of love. As the children grew up and began to leave the nest, the man and his wife loved each other more and more with each passing day. Once the last of their children had married and started his life, they moved from their family home to a small farm where they could live out their golden years in the peace and quiet of the country surrounded by their grandchildren. Nothing meant more to him than his family. Not his cars, not his collection of antiques, not his perfectly up kept yard. No, it was his family that he was most proud of.
On November 3, 2010, this beautiful life came to an end. This man was my grandfather; my rock, my hero, and my confidant. Getting the call saying he's gone and never getting a chance to say goodbye is something that I will always hold in my heart as the worst moment of my life. He gave me everything a granddaughter could ever want or need, but more importantly he supported me in everything that I EVER did, regardless of how extreme or stupid it may have seemed. The violin, golfing, prancing around onstage at a pageant; he was always there when he could be cheering me on from the crowd. I was his first granddaughter and he was my "fuddy duddy" as I used to call him as a child, grasping his earlobes as I giggled. When things went sour, I called my grandpa. When I got good news, I called my grandpa. Now, I have to remain strong. I need to accept that although I'll never share another cup of coffee with him, I'll never feel his comforting embrace, and I'll never see his face light up as I walk through the door after being away at school, I'll have him with me wherever I go watching over me in everything that I do. I was looking so VERY forward to him seeing me walk in May as I received my B.A. from IU, but now I know he’ll have the best seat in the house; even better than the one that I’ll have. Words cannot describe how much I love him or how much I’ll miss him. I was lucky enough to have this wonderful man as my grandfather for 22 years, and feel so unbelievably sorry for anyone who didn’t get to know him. My life will never be the same, and I long for the chance to tell him “I Love You” and hear him call me his little sweetheart one last time. Everything happens for a reason, and though I'm still searching for what this reason really is, I know God will grant me the strength to make it through this devastating time. As long as I rely on my faith, my family, and my friends, I know that I'll have more than enough support to move forward and be the woman I know he'd want me to be. Grandpa: no one can even fathom how much I’m going to miss you. Hope you’re having a nice cup of coffee with Uncle Max right now…and you two don’t cause too much trouble together. I love you to the moon and back.
I would be lost without the support of my friends, sisters, and extended family during this difficult time. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for everything that you have done. The thoughts, prayers, and kind words have kept me going today and words can never express exactly how much they mean. I love you all <3
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