Last weekend we said goodbye to my Grandpa Ron. Although you only met your Great Grandpa a few times (and he was Great-capital G and all), I feel like it was important for you to know a bit about him.
My Grandpa was born in Duluth, MN. He went to high school and Junior College there. After college, he was a World War II Navy Veteran. He served on submarine-how cool is that! On the submarine he traveled to the Philippines and Japan. This is a picture of the boat he served on-the S.S. Neurus.
At his funeral, they even presented my Grandma with a flag to honor his service in the Navy. After the Navy, he worked for Standard Oil as a territory manager for 38 years. He lived in Detroit Lakes, MN for most of his adult life with my Grandma where he raised his three kids-your Nanny, and my two uncles Jim and Bob.
As he got older, he and my Grandma had a fun cabin in Detroit Lakes where they lived in the summer and in the winters they lived in Florida. I was lucky enough to have memories with them at both homes.
Your Great Grandpa liked to play golf, have coffee with his buddies at McDonalds, and watch sports on TV. He love the Twins and the Vikings. He loved to sing, play poker, and go to the horse races.
You met your Great Grandpa a handful of times and he adored you. Sadly, at his funeral, I realized that you didn't see him enough. I doubt you will remember being at his house in Detroit Lakes. I don't think you'll remember when he played on the floor with you at Auntie Katie's wedding. You will never get to ask him about that really cool ship up there. Or what Japan was like. You won't get to watch a baseball game with him or ask him his opinion on the Twins this year. You won't ever get to beat him in poker or cheer for the same horse at the races.
While I can't change what you know about your Great Grandpa Ron, I am determined to have the rest of your remaining Grandparents and Great Grandparents leave you with a legacy; their knowledge and memories. I am sending out a list of questions to your Grandparents that are still with us-nothing fancy-just questions about what their life was like growing up-what they liked to do, what their job was, what their school was like etc. As I get their responses (and I'm crossing every finger and toe that I will), I'm hoping to leave them on this blog for you-a permanent memory of the many people that know and love you-so you can know and love them too.
Goodbye (Great) Grandpa Ron-we'll miss you.
Love,
Mommy
PS: No member of our family was traumatized during this funeral. Contrary to earlier episodes, no one was forced to lock themselves in a bathroom and allow sucker eating on the floor. Tyson is still struggling to understand the concept of heaven and going to Jesus, but, then again, we all are.
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