My Grampa is one of the best men that has ever graced this planet. He was one of the kindest, selfless, calm, loving people I have ever had the privilege to know.
Growing up I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my grampa loves me and is grateful to have ME as his grandchild. That is a BIG thing... My gramparents had 9 kids, their posterity is massive. He has 37 grandkids, 4 step grandkids, 13 step great-grandkids, 13 great grandkids with one on the way. Talk about an amazing legacy.
As a grandchild of this epic man I remember nothing but good things. I remember when I was 13 I gave a family home evening (we did this as a WHOLE family once a month and rotated houses, I volunteered when it was at our house). My FHE was about temples and the importance they hold in our religion. I was nervous, but after it was all done my grampy came up to me and gave me the tightest hug and thanked me for what I taught, I can still hear his voice and smell him.
I can remember playing table tennis with him in their backyard, that old guy was GREAT at that game! I can remember his apron. Which sounds weird BUT he always was cooking something, and he wore the same apron. When he made pumpkin pie, the apron protected his white shirt, when he sliced up the Christmas ham and the Thanksgiving turkey, the apron was there. I remember him giving my cousins and I candy out of his green candy dish, it was kind of upsetting when he stopped that... And of course how could anyone who knows him not bring up his jump roping :) He jump roped on his 93rd birthday!!! Photo op:
He had the same ROPE that he used for years. The last time I saw him jump rope, sadly he could do it better than me....I can remember his answer to "So How was your day?" being "It was wonderful. I haven't had a bad day yet". Growing up I thought that was unreal, he must be sent from heaven to NEVER have a bad day, but I now know that it was his perspective on life. Through everything he went through he had a smile either one his face or in his heart. When my parents divorced, he still accepted my mom and one of his own. He would do anything for anyone. He loved his religion but loved his wife more than life I think. At my grammy's funeral he stood right next to her, even in her death he still didn't deviate from her side, but talked about how much she means to him and how he wished everyone had what he has with her. My grampa would do anything for his wife, their children and grandchildren. I knew if I ever needed a thing I just needed to call my grampa.
The hardest thing for me is knowing that he is gone. I will never get to see him jump rope again (Well not in this lifetime) It will be a long time until I get to see him in his apron, or smell his cologne. I wont be able to see him rock my babies like he did with me (although I know he does it now where he is) and saddest, he wont be able to hug me after Bin and I get sealed, he will be there I KNOW that with all my heart.
I miss my grampa every day. It was so hard to say our "See you laters" But I know that this is better, he can watch over his posterity. I know he is with his love, and I know that he is doing so much on the other side.
The Easter season will always be bittersweet. My grampa died on Easter Sunday last year. What a perfect day for an amazing man to meet his maker and be reunited with his loved one. I am proud to be one of yours, I'm proud of my maiden name and my "Kearsley nose" I love you Grampa! And I miss you!
