Grandpa

I have some wonderful memories of this man, nothing but happiness and laughter, hugs and giggles.  He was a giver by nature, he gave everything he had for his family and friends he was the pure definition of generosity.  He loved going out and gleaning the orchard and potato fields and sharing his bounty with family and friends. I grew up on the best applesauce ever made, his apple picking with Grandma's Kitchen skills provided my favorite comfort food to date.

He touched so many wonderful parts of my life.  One of my favorite things to do as a little one was ride on the fore-wheeler to go check gopher traps.  My favorite part was when we would get them back to the house and cut their tails off to put in a coffee can.  I was strange like that as a kid.

When I was 5 years old I was lucky enough to have this man in my life as he helped my dad put together a swing set for out back yard.  Dad drew up the plans, Grandpa Welded together a masterpiece that you couldn't get my sister and I off of in the summertime.  It was everything from a rocket ship to a princess castle in our eyes. With love and skill it was made, and now it still stands strong as my children have their own imagination to make it their Pirate ship or Rapunzel Tower.

My Favorite Memory of all was a fishing trip that my grandparents took my sister and I on when we were teenagers.  It is not just one of my favorite memories of my grandpa, but it is up there with one of my favorite memories of all time.  It was the day I saw what true love was.  Grandpa spent the majority of the day untangling the lines grinning at grandma stating "Looks like she is out fishing me again"  The whole day was a riot, Grandpa was good at pushing Grandma's buttons and Grandma was good at reacting, usually in frustration at first, then she would smile because that is just the way their marriage worked. A balance of laughter and love, what a wonderful day of fishing so we could eat cheeseburgers on the way home - and you know he probably had something to say about that.