My Grandpa...a great man

My Grandpa "Don" with some of my awesome cousins

Today I am remembering my Grandpa. He died yesterday. He lived a long life left an incredible legacy and is now standing with my Grandma and Jesus in heaven... he was an amazing man.

In my preschool years I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. My Grandpa was the guy who could take the mundane of life and make it spectacular. He knew a couple of magic tricks and would amaze all of his grandchildren with the cool things he could do. He would dress up for Halloween, pursue what he wanted and most of all he would love my Grandma with all his heart. He was in awe of her and it was so obvious.

My Mom and Dad were married when I was five. So when they went on their honeymoon, I was able to go with Grandma and Grandpa on a road trip to New Mexico from Milwaukee. I remember always feeling so safe with my Grandparents. I remember sleeping in the back of the car and when we stopped to stay at Motels all I cared about was whether or not it had a pool. We would drive along these long desert roads and my Grandpa would ask me if I could see the cowboys and indians riding around in the desert. (to get me to sit up and look around)

My Grandpa would express his love with an instant hug and you could feel his heart from across the room. If he didn't know you, he'd get to know you with a smile and a handshake and a hearty laugh. He was one of those people who knew people by name in the grocery store and would greet them with their name every time he was there.

He loved horses. When I was older my Grandparents moved to New Mexico from Wisconsin. And when we would travel there to see them, they had a nice doublewide mobile home on a plot of land in Deming. Their land was nothing but desert. They built a fence to corral a couple of horses as my Grandpa loved the west and everything cowboy. When I would visit their home I would go back home thinking I had just visited The "Dallas" ranch... in my young eyes their house was palatial and their horses were thoroughbreds. My Grandpa would teach us about horses about loving animals and about how to respect animals. He was kind and gentle and the thing that made him the most proud was his wife, his family and his grandchildren.

My Grandparents relationship was one that I was in awe of. It still baffles me to this day a little bit. My Grandma was humble and quiet, she was a servant of all she was unselfish and rarely spent money on herself. My Grandpa was the spender, he mostly like to spend money on horses and computers so he could do things for his family like make family calendars and have his grandkids over to ride the horses. He absolutley worshipped the ground my Grandma walked on. She respected him more than he could have ever imagined. They were my example of "husbands LOVE your wives... and wives "respect" your husbands. My Grandpa knew that even if my Grandma did not agree with him.. she respected his opinion. So in turn... my Grandpa spent his life loving her with all his heart.

He always had a story to tell and I apprecaited them all. He would give you a glimpse into his life with his army stories, his stories about his family and his stories about raising his children. He respected others, therefore was respected but the whole time letting you know that his heart was soft for you and that he loved you.

Today I rememeber my Grandpa, who is in heaven with his loving wife and Jesus. I love you Grandpa I miss you... but thank you so much for the awesome example you gave me in my life and the incredible family legacy you have left behind.

Love,
Jennie (I laugh as I type my name because he used to spell my name wrong all the time... it used to bug me but now it looks kind of cute! ;)