My Grandpa

My Grandpa was a very special person in my life. I know I am being selfish when I say he was taken too soon, or that I really want him back. I know that he is out of pain and he is seeing loved ones who passed away before him. I am still having a hard time grasping the fact that he is not at home in his favorite chair with Grandma, Melinda and of course Riley. I have so many great memories of my Grandpa, I will never forget the times that I was able to spend with him. I will always remember playing with his watch, and it would always pinch me since it was a silver watch with the stretchy silver brackets. I always wondered why he would want a watch that would pinch him. I remember how much he would say don't play with my hair, but he always let us mess it up as long as we slicked it back the way he liked it. I remember always stealing his hat from him, he wouldn't go anywhere without his hat. I loved goofing off with him and joking around. I loved it when he would share little tidbits about everything. I swear he knew something about everything and everywhere. He would alway pull out his Alaska books or magazines and show us where Homer was...and how someday he was going to move up there. When he got his computer he would show me the different temperatures of his favorite places in Alaska. He would always have a way to make you smile. He gave us all a hard time, but it was because he cared so much about us. He would always give my Grandma the hardest time because he loved her so much. He would give her such a hard time sometimes it would make her swear at him. I am sure he loved getting a rise out of her. Grandpa never questioned you if you needed help and he would do whatever he could do help you the most. I loved when we would go camping with him. He always made sure we had a clean camp with a well built fire. I remember everytime we would ride with him to Boulder he would have us name the creeks in order. If we could do it he was pretty impressed, it got to a point where we would study our creeks a few weeks in advance in order to make him proud. I also remember riding with him to Boulder, and he would always point out interesting things on the drive. He always asked if we wanted a tuna malt or if we had seen the house made out of bottles. I loved when we were younger and Grandpa would let us stand on his feet and hold our hands as he walked us around the kitchen saying "ba-doomp ba-doomp" and when he would throw pillows at us when we got in the way of the tv. He was such a fun person to be around and we will never stop loving or missing him. I am very blessed to have such a close family that I was able to know my Grandpa the way I did.

"When our loved ones become memories, memories become treasures"

"Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us everyday. Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved still missed and very dear"