Over the weekend, we got news that my Grandpa Bill passed away.  It wasn’t exactly a shock, mostly because he was 97 years old.  Amazing right?!  But it still tugs at my heart strings to think he is gone. One of the few people I have known my entire life.

We grew up on the other side of the neighborhood from he and Grandma Ina, so we spent a lot time at their house.  My siblings and I would ride our bikes there and spend holidays and birthdays exploring their big backyard and making family memories.  That old rust-red house with the big carport was sold and remodeled several years ago, but I’ll never forget it.  The look, the smells, the stray cats, the garden where we picked fresh boysenberries and ate til our bellies hurt, the small kitchen where we gathered with our cousins, and the treasures (or creepy knick-knacks) scattered throughout.

My grandpa wasn’t exactly a gentle, snugly man.  At least, not that I can remember.  I was mostly terrified of him in my younger years.  He was gruff and yelled a lot.  But as I got older, I began to see more of him.  His sense of humor was dry.  He carried painful memories and loss in his heart.  He had some great old man dance moves.  His soft side would even get exposed occasionally.  He was wickedly clever, even up until I saw him just last year.  Toward the end, he could barely hear and barely remember our names, but he was proud of the family he had built.

Paul and I marvel that when I was born, GB was already 61 years old.  He had already lived an entire lifetime… and still lived another 36 years!  He saw so much.  His family struggled through the great depression, he served in the navy, worked as a fire fighter, loved TV, and wanted to know “what’s the deal with the iPhone?” He was honest and stubborn.  Never got baptized, much to the dismay of his children – but you gotta hand it to the guy. He still supported my LDS grandmother, went to church every Sunday and raised a family who are passionate about their moral values.

It’s crazy to think you could know somebody for this long and still feel like you need more time.  Selfishly, of course.  I’m sure he was ready.  But for my sake, there is still so much I don’t know and so many more stories and laughs I would have liked to exchange with him.  I hope my family will continue to talk about him and share our favorite memories, so that his spirit  can live on.

Love you so much Gramps.  You will be missed, you old grouch.