I have been and still am Foolishly young. I was very lucky to make it this far in my life never having lost anyone. I had a saying that went "People and Dogs Never Die" because although i had had a dog die before i never saw him and thus i could easily pretend he had just gone to some new family. In my family no one that i knew had ever died. My Great grandmother turned 100 this year and by being carriers of her genes it was my misconception that no one in my family would die any time soon. And it is with a heavy heart that i inform you my Grandfather - a man who has been in my life since the day i was born - has passed. He was diagnosed with COPD about a month ago and had a pulmonary an-your-ism (- i cant spell it sorry- ) last night. He died instantly I am told - no pain no nothing. It happened when he was getting a glass of water. I like that fact because I like to think he stayed active til the very end. He had a respectable end to an amazing life. And honestly it is his life I would like to speak more about then his end. I am not looking to give you a sob story, I just would like to post this in remembrance of my Grandfather. I am not sure if this is respectable or if anyone out there even cares to know what I have lost but if you do i feel he had a most interesting life:
When my grandfather, William C. was born he had a twin. Inside the womb his face had been pressed up against his brothers and in turn did not develop on one side. The twin brother was DOA. As a small child he under went plastic surgery to give him an ear and normal looking cheek. Because of this he grew up almost subconsciously associating doctors with pain. He also never had good hearing and was naturally self conscious of his appearance. His mother, a women he respected indefinitely, taught him to seek knowledge. He was never amazing at school but he did what he could.
Some time after his birth came his sister Suzy. Suzy was born perfectly normal and he adored her. It was Suzy who introduced him to my grandmother - Cindy. Suzy and Cindy were best friends in high school. My Nana often tells me humorous accounts of how the first time she met him he did not even say hello or goodbye. Then, when he finally decided he could talk to her, he threw her in the pool in front of all their friends. There was nothing really romantic about him until thier first date. Suzy wanted to go with some fella who her parents would only allow if it was a double date with her brother. -_- A teenagers nightmare. However my Nana easily agreed. When my Grandfather kissed her goodnight that night, on their very first date, he asked her to marry him. I imagine this part as a shallow, whisper coated in lusty teenage emotions - nothing one would immediately take seriously. For whatever reason, my Nana heard herself say yes. Of course this was back in the 60s - my grandmother's family were still social climbers and already had an arranged marriage for her. They did not like the sound of my granddad and said No, she could go and find a fine college boy if she didnt want the one they had planned for her. So off to college she went. She was there a whole semester when one day my grandfather showed up. he said "Are you gonna marry me or not?" and she said "Yes I am" and they were off to Vegas. He was 22 and she was 18. My Grandmother's family Disowned her at this point. A thing she has never really forgave them for.
After Marriage, they were blessed with 5 children. 2 Boys and 3 Girls. He found work in a saw mill in Oregon where he worked for about 30 years. The mill gave them a house and 40 acres and oh the fun they had. He cared greatly for his family. When the mill was shut down by environmentalists and he had to leave it was a major point in his life. Him and Nana followed my Mom and Dad to New York, South Carolina, and then finally Texas. Although he lived here in Texas for almost 15 years he never quit trying to go back to the west coast. I dont think it was the land he missed so much as the independent life and memories of his family that were rooted there.
While in Texas, which is as far as my memory goes back he taught me a great many things. As a small girl he called me his Sugar Plum Fairy every Christmas. According to my cousins, he and I were inseparable. I remember lots of hugs and napping in his lap while he relaxed in a huge recliner. Unfortunately i grew to be a teenager. I quit listening to what he said and did a good deal of time arguing with him. Honestly, that was really just the way we discussed things. Even though he was old he liked to argue for arguments sake and frankly i enjoyed it too. We would disagree about my friends, my hobbies, his sexist remarks, his old fashioned ways, and both our general philosophies on things. Sometimes we would get mean but i don't remember half of what was said and i doubt he did either. The next day after arguments we always made up. He once told me that i was one of the smartest women he knew, right behind my grandmother and his mother. It was always with this statement that an argument either began or ended about how he disapproved of my choices and expected me to carry on into college. It was in our fiesty ways that i think we let each other know that we saw one another as equals on some level.
One of my favorite memories was my last birthday. Me and 5 of my friends, plus my dad, brother, and other grandmother (not cindy) went to see Avatar. He was very spritely and playful this day and we drove and hour away to a mall so that we could shop and hang out before the movie. Everyone enjoyed the 3D movie esp. my Grandfather. As we left the mall my friends and i devided into the 2 cars in which we had come. One drive by father and one by my grandfather. When my dad had finished dropping off our car i texted one of the 3 kids in the other car to see if they were home. They in fact were not. They had detoured to Fort Worth an extra hour in the wrong direction. According to my brother my grandfather had defiantly ignored the GPS's repeated instructions to take the next exit. It was a stressful hour while they got home. Upon arriving back at the house, my grandfather cheerfully walked in, sat down, and proceeded to tell my Nana (cindy) what a lovely time he had and how amazing 3D Movies were. XD I thought i would explode so i just went to bed instead.
I loved my grandfather and i know that this barely touched on the life he had, but i hope that someone else will get joy from his story. He was a good man and I would be so lucky to know a life like his. Thank you for appreciating him in my time of mourning.
When my grandfather, William C. was born he had a twin. Inside the womb his face had been pressed up against his brothers and in turn did not develop on one side. The twin brother was DOA. As a small child he under went plastic surgery to give him an ear and normal looking cheek. Because of this he grew up almost subconsciously associating doctors with pain. He also never had good hearing and was naturally self conscious of his appearance. His mother, a women he respected indefinitely, taught him to seek knowledge. He was never amazing at school but he did what he could.
Some time after his birth came his sister Suzy. Suzy was born perfectly normal and he adored her. It was Suzy who introduced him to my grandmother - Cindy. Suzy and Cindy were best friends in high school. My Nana often tells me humorous accounts of how the first time she met him he did not even say hello or goodbye. Then, when he finally decided he could talk to her, he threw her in the pool in front of all their friends. There was nothing really romantic about him until thier first date. Suzy wanted to go with some fella who her parents would only allow if it was a double date with her brother. -_- A teenagers nightmare. However my Nana easily agreed. When my Grandfather kissed her goodnight that night, on their very first date, he asked her to marry him. I imagine this part as a shallow, whisper coated in lusty teenage emotions - nothing one would immediately take seriously. For whatever reason, my Nana heard herself say yes. Of course this was back in the 60s - my grandmother's family were still social climbers and already had an arranged marriage for her. They did not like the sound of my granddad and said No, she could go and find a fine college boy if she didnt want the one they had planned for her. So off to college she went. She was there a whole semester when one day my grandfather showed up. he said "Are you gonna marry me or not?" and she said "Yes I am" and they were off to Vegas. He was 22 and she was 18. My Grandmother's family Disowned her at this point. A thing she has never really forgave them for.
After Marriage, they were blessed with 5 children. 2 Boys and 3 Girls. He found work in a saw mill in Oregon where he worked for about 30 years. The mill gave them a house and 40 acres and oh the fun they had. He cared greatly for his family. When the mill was shut down by environmentalists and he had to leave it was a major point in his life. Him and Nana followed my Mom and Dad to New York, South Carolina, and then finally Texas. Although he lived here in Texas for almost 15 years he never quit trying to go back to the west coast. I dont think it was the land he missed so much as the independent life and memories of his family that were rooted there.
While in Texas, which is as far as my memory goes back he taught me a great many things. As a small girl he called me his Sugar Plum Fairy every Christmas. According to my cousins, he and I were inseparable. I remember lots of hugs and napping in his lap while he relaxed in a huge recliner. Unfortunately i grew to be a teenager. I quit listening to what he said and did a good deal of time arguing with him. Honestly, that was really just the way we discussed things. Even though he was old he liked to argue for arguments sake and frankly i enjoyed it too. We would disagree about my friends, my hobbies, his sexist remarks, his old fashioned ways, and both our general philosophies on things. Sometimes we would get mean but i don't remember half of what was said and i doubt he did either. The next day after arguments we always made up. He once told me that i was one of the smartest women he knew, right behind my grandmother and his mother. It was always with this statement that an argument either began or ended about how he disapproved of my choices and expected me to carry on into college. It was in our fiesty ways that i think we let each other know that we saw one another as equals on some level.
One of my favorite memories was my last birthday. Me and 5 of my friends, plus my dad, brother, and other grandmother (not cindy) went to see Avatar. He was very spritely and playful this day and we drove and hour away to a mall so that we could shop and hang out before the movie. Everyone enjoyed the 3D movie esp. my Grandfather. As we left the mall my friends and i devided into the 2 cars in which we had come. One drive by father and one by my grandfather. When my dad had finished dropping off our car i texted one of the 3 kids in the other car to see if they were home. They in fact were not. They had detoured to Fort Worth an extra hour in the wrong direction. According to my brother my grandfather had defiantly ignored the GPS's repeated instructions to take the next exit. It was a stressful hour while they got home. Upon arriving back at the house, my grandfather cheerfully walked in, sat down, and proceeded to tell my Nana (cindy) what a lovely time he had and how amazing 3D Movies were. XD I thought i would explode so i just went to bed instead.
I loved my grandfather and i know that this barely touched on the life he had, but i hope that someone else will get joy from his story. He was a good man and I would be so lucky to know a life like his. Thank you for appreciating him in my time of mourning.
