Grand Grand- The End of His Dash

My grandfather, Grand Grand, died today. I found out right before my plane took off from Salt Lake to come home. I’ve spent a lot of this flight thinking of him and death and why my family has to endure another one so soon after losing Richie. Even when I know that their deaths are so different I get confused and emotions I had when Richie died come crashing into my heart. Mom, Uncle Ricky, and Mee Mee were all there with him holding his hand and giving him peace. Why wasn't I able to do this for Richie? Why couldn't I have gotten there just a few minutes more to hold him as he died...my heart is so torn up and confused about this. I wanted to give Richie peace...

I really want to tell you a little about my Grand Grand…so you can understand why I loved him so much. First of all, whenever you called his and Mee Mee’s house he always was the one to answer. See, his chair sat right next to the phone. And the chair, oh, let me tell you, we all KNEW it was his chair. It was well worn and the most comfortable chair you will ever sit in. Mee Mee was always buying him a new one every so often but to this little girl, it was the same chair even after it was replaced again and again because it always smelled just like him. It was so worn in that when you sat you were immediately snuggled all in, just like you were if you crawled up in his lap. I did that a few times at Christmas…he would sit there opening his presents slowing (because he was paying too much attention to all of us girls to open his) and after we had opened ours I remember crawling up on his lap.

Grand Grand had a laugh that was infectious. Actually, calling it a laugh is a little bold, Grand Grand was a giggler. And when he giggled his bright blue eyes sparkled and twinkled that you had to join right in with him. In fact, if you were ever around my grandfather you knew you were going to end up giggling over something or more than likely, over nothing.

A long time ago we all realized that half the time we didn’t know what he was saying…and that wasn’t because of old age…Grand Grand just giggled and then would mumble something and continue on with his giggling and of course, his six granddaughters who were enamored by him, would giggle right along with him.

I remember back in college I would sometimes drive over to see them and spend the night. It never failed, Grand Grand would grill hamburgers and we would have fresh tomatoes from his garden to go on them. As I type this I can almost hear him coming in through the back door yelling, “Mother, here are the burgers…where do you want me to put them?” Cause, Grand Grand like the rest of us knew that Mee Mee’s kitchen was her kitchen except for one time of the day- breakfast! Breakfast was Grand Grand’s time. He would get up at 4:30 or 5am and start making his biscuits and let me tell you, Chic-Fil-A had nothing on my grandfather’s biscuits! They were always perfect and no matter who has tried to make them since then, they don’t have whatever special ingredient that he always put in them to make them so good. Of course, now that I am older, I realize the special ingredient was love. He loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his great grand children like no other man.

I’ll never forget my Grand Grand. He lived life to the fullest and we are all here as proof of that. He always told us he loved us whenever we talked and even up until the day he died he was still showing those baby blue eyes to everyone that went to see him.

I’ll miss you Grand Grand…have a safe trip to heaven and your Grand Son-In-Law will take really good care of you. Please tell Richie I love him...especially today...