Grandpa

This is my Grandpa:

Of course this is how I will always remember him:

I was fortunate enough to have my Grandpa close to me throughout my life. For several years he was just a few blocks away from me. Some of the earliest memories I have of my Grandpa are helping him load manure in his pickup for his garden and somehow thinking that was normal and neat, going swimming with him when he went for his "baths" over at the pools at Steiner, and I remember when he broke his leg he grew a nice white beard helping foster my own beard growing ambitions:

And of course jumpsuits which I am happy to wear and remember him with:

Shortly after I got back from my mission I saw a picture of Grandpa when he was my age, graduating from the U:

I remember thinking that I looked an awful lot like him and that I was more than happy to be like him. Most of all I remember that my Grandpa was a quiet, calm, polite, and respectful spirit inside a hardworking, responsible, disciplined, and active man's body that selflessly strived to help all those around him and lived his faith the best he could. Some years ago I made a list of all the influential men in my life that I hoped to emulate in terms of being a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and a righteous priesthood holder and without any doubt my Grandpa is near the very top of that list. For the last several years my Grandpa treated each of our meetings as though it might be our last and he would leave me with his love and remind me to remember who I am. My Grandpa, his life and his example, certainly help me to do that. I'll miss you Grandpa.