Grandpa's Funeral

The long vacation story continues..... After visiting with Jennifer and her family for a few days we got a phone call that Grandpa had passed away. It happened rather quickly and he was more than ready to go.

So we packed up the kids (Me, Gina, and Jennifer) in two vans and traveled together to spend a hot 4th of July here in the valley of the sun.

The funeral was a celebration of his life-we will miss him but it was his time. I was chosen to be one of the speakers and share memories of his life.

Memories I will most treasure about my grandfather:
1. GRAMPIRE TEETH: He would take his dentures out of his mouth and hang them over his bottom lip then chase us around with his 'Grampire teeth' and bite and tickle us.
2. WOOLF WHISTLES: He would always whistle at us and tell us how beautiful we are (much to our embarrassment) when it was raining he would tell us to be careful because sugar melts in the rain!
3. SHARE YOUR TALENTS: He was a talented musician and taught us to appreciate music and not be afraid to share it. He believed anyone could sing and would often say "If only the birds in the forest who thought they had good voices sang, the forest would be a quiet place".
4. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR: He knew everyone in his neighborhood and was often found helping them with their yards. One time he came to visit us and forgetting our house number stopped to ask people on the street where the Russell family lives. It took two or three houses before he found us and gave us a good lecture that we should get to know more people on our street!
5. "HAPPY NIGHTS MAKE FOR SAD MORNINGS": 'nuff said
6.I HAVE A RICH HERITAGE: Grandpa was always telling us stories about our ancestors and the sacrifices they made for the gospel. He gave us a book of pioneer stories I will always cherish.
7. CHURCH WORK: It isn't work, it's just part of life. Never turn down a calling and give it the best you've got.
8. THE MORE THE MERRIER: His house was always full to the rafters with family, non family and adopted family. "We're glad you're here!" and "Come back soon" were phrases often heard in their home.
9. PLANT A TREE: He was a great gardener. He always said, the first thing you should do when you move into a new home is plant a tree that will bear fruit. He had beautiful roses and so many trees we loved to climb and pick fruit. I got my love of gardening from him.
10. WE ARE RAISING CHILDREN, NOT GRAPEFRUIT: When some of the crazy grand-kids picked all the green grapefruit off his tree instead of giving them a 'what-for' this was his response.
11. FAMILIES ARE FOREVER: Each time we would gather as a family grandpa would point out how wonderful it was that we were all here-that this was heaven. How sad, he would say, if one of us didn't make it.


The week of his funeral was more like a great big family reunion. We all had a great time together-just as grandpa would have liked!