Farewell to a Great Grandpa

     We heard that Great Grandpa was not doing well after complications from pneumonia landed him in the hospital.  We made the eight hour trip out to see him, stopping first at my parents’ house to drop off the Sugar Snaps.  When we first saw him, he looked frail but had his usual spunk and enthusiasm.  He talked about wanting to go to physical therapy so he could get up and get back in his shop to build things.  He had failed the ‘swallow test’ and agreed to a feeding tube.  During the night, he pulled his feeding tube out by mistake as he slept.  He went downhill that night and looked far worse in the morning.  He opted not to have his feeding tube replaced.  We were able to spend time with him later in the day when he felt better and tell him how much we loved him and that the Sugar Snaps loved him too. I played a recording on my cell phone of  Capri giggling and he laughed with delight when he heard it.   He told us he loved us and told us to “tell the kids I love them.”  He was transferred back to his care facility on hospice and passed away a few days later at the age of 104. 

     Great Grandpa’s daughter, Aunt Linda, stayed with us for the services.  The Sugar Snaps wore the shirts that Aunt Linda and Cousin Cindy made for them for Christmas.  She held the bouquet of coffee filter flowers they made for her as a sympathy bouquet.

     Before the Sugar Snaps were born, I recorded a series of video interviews with Great Grandpa so the Sugar Snaps and our nieces can get to know him when they are older.

One of Great Grandpa’s sisters sent a beautiful bouquet for his casket.  He was the oldest of 12 children.

Our nieces Katherine and Emma attended the services.

2003.  You will be in our hearts forever.  Until we met again…