memorial: the grandfathers

both

WW2 veterans

soldiers for the cross

that are finished with their fight

i did not know my mom's dad

he died when she was a young girl

his life is remembered through stories and photos

and i can only see the "earthly" resting place

so, i grew up knowing just one grandfather

we lived next door for the first 7 1/2 years of my life
and even after that...

going to church, eating together, shelling peas -

times spent together were frequent

i wish that i would have documented his childhood stories

his military days


his early married days

his life as a father, grandfather

his testimony

his memories of church services and experiences

what i do have stored in writing and in photos

are priceless treasures

this precious grandfather that I knew -

lives on in my heart

sure - he was a stern man
his demeanor and posture remind me of strict military discipline

however, he had some smiling moments too

one of my favorite memories: he told me that I looked good wearing black

he loved that wood heater

whew - he would have it hot during the winter holiday events

he also loved wearing a hat

he wore white dress socks
kept a pen and glasses case in his shirt pocket

and he loved this woman below...

he begged her to stay with him
but she knew it was her time to go

when his sweetheart departed in may 2003,

life changed quickly

they found cancer

he went through treatment

stayed in assisted living for a time

that last summer of 2004, he was at home some

i stayed with him a few days out of every week

an outspoken, opinionated man no longer lived there

he withdrew into silence a lot - his life literally wasting away

those were sad days

this was our last Christmas with him - Dec 2004

he had changed dramatically in the past few years

see how he looked below:

he looked about the same from the 90s to about 2003

his hair stayed about the same color

his weight stayed about the same

we were told early in 2005 that we had limited time

i remember seeing him in the hospital with tubes and attachments

a strong man turned to frail

before he had a procedure in may -
we spent some time with Papa at our house
may 9th 2005
the last photos i took with my papa -


father and son
i love the smile on his face

3 generations - father, son, grandson

with me and my sisters

with my sisters' children

we did not know that would mark the last days spent at home

he left the hospital and went to a hospice house around the end of may
(i think that was the order?)

he seemed okay

but only a few days later - i received an early morning call...

my mom said that they thought he was gone

may 31, 2005

just 2 years and 3 days after his wife's death

too soon, too much

i wrote tributes for each

and stumbled my way through the reading at their funerals

this makes me cry

draped in an American flag

silence marks his entry

into a church that rang with his voice

singing, praising, shouting the victory

TAPS rang out the

haunting melody

another soldier laid to rest

ahh - life goes on

but memories linger dear

my papa is loved - missed