One thing most people didn't know about my granpa is that he had a wooden leg. Yup, like a pirate. When he was 38 (my mom was just 2) he had an accident with a rototiller and lost his leg (not sure which one, sad but true) just below the knee. My grandpa was a big tough guy who farmed and worked hard for his entire life. Yet he was so sweet and gentle too. When he lost his leg he was in the hospital for quite a while and my mom was freaked out not knowing where daddy was. So her mom brought her to the hospital (where children weren't normally allowed to go in 1953) and my mom remembers everything being all in white and it scared her. When they got to granpa's room she saw him lying in the bed but she wasn't allowed to go in and touch him so she started crying. So grandpa said to her "Its ok baby, don't cry. Daddy's ok." My mom said she felt so much better after that just knowing where her daddy was and that he was alright. When grandpa got home mom remembers him lying on the livingroom floor and her mom was worried about the baby crawling on him and hurting his leg. But grandpa said no bring her to me, he always wanted his baby girl near him.
The sweetest picture that was dug out at the funeral was when my mom was just 2 months old. It was this sweet black and white picture where my grandpa was crouching down next to the garage/barn on their farm holding my mom. My mom was the cutest fat little baby and my rugged, tan from working in the sun grandpa was holding out a little rattle for her. It was so cute!
My grandparent's neighbor said a cute thing to me when I was out there. Ok, backstory - My grandma was the best baker ever and made amazing jam. My grandpa was apparently a speedy runner before he lost his leg. So my friend Sally said to me that she just pictured my cute grandpa in heaven running towards my grandma who would be holding out a jar of jam to him. So sweet.
Sad to say the last date on this gravestone will be getting filled in. I know have 2 guardian angels in heaven looking out for me.
My grandpa was the most gentle wonderful man who never yelled at me, though I was the naughtiest child ever! I love him and will miss him everyday.
