Grandpop's Eulogy

By the grace of God and the prayers of his people, I was able to say the following at my Grandpop's funeral service on July 8. 

I missed the bus to high school one day and knew I could count on Grandpop to take me so I ran home quickly called and asked. He shows up in his blue truck. He’s driving along at what feels like a snails pace.  The whole time I am thinking, “can’t you drive just a little faster?”

And then he precedes to take route 130 instead of 295. Now I am thinking, “You would take the longer, slower way…,” He said something about how he liked this route better.  Of course I couldn’t say anything! I was just thankful he was taking me. I can’t help but wonder if he did it on purpose though so I wouldn’t miss the bus again. I don’t think I ever did!

The whole way he was telling stories though, you could count on him to have a story or a song and he was always ready to teach something. Some of the things he has taught the grandkids through the years …

Never end a sentence with a preposition

The importance of saving money

Foods to avoid that are high in cholesterol

How to properly use a handsaw

A glass of red wine everyday is good for you

Don’t say “ain’t” !

How to hold a pencil properly

How to extract honey and what centrifugal force is

How to change a tire

Don't be afraid to get your hands a little dirty in the garden

Always remember names of people you meet

Never keep your hands in your pockets

How to catch a toad

The importance of composting

And “you get no bread with just one meatball” (I did my best to sing is like him.)

Practically everything that came out of his mouth was laced with instruction or history from the light fixtures in the patio to helping you pump up your bike tires.

I hope and pray I can half as good a job teaching my own son as Grandpop has done with all of us.

A Little Thinner

"Each year our ranks grow thinner", this is said each year at the Gibbstown Memorial Day ceremony followed by the list of those veterans who passed away during the year. Today, the ranks are a little thinner. For my dear Grandpop, who so faithfully served his family, country and fellow man for nearly 90 years has gone on to his eternal reward. 

I think he lived well and loved well for all those that didn't get the opportunity to live out their dreams like get married and have children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. He helped to form the local VFW Post soon after he was discharged and worked hard to remember his fallen comrades. It was his idea to rename the streets in town during Memorial Day week after the deceased, " a means of keeping Veterans names and sacrifices in our memories."  

He is at long last with the 18 fellow soldiers who were his friends and neighbors. Perhaps they were standing by to welcome home a fellow comrade. 

We who are left behind will miss the way he was forever correcting our grammar, or his willingness to feed our pets when we  were away, or sing funny songs at the dinner table,  or bicker with Gram over every little thing. We'll miss his stories and his ability to remember in such detail. I especially will miss his hands. He had the nicest hands so soft and smooth and spongy even though he was working in the garden up until just a couple weeks ago. 


Someday there will be no more World War II veterans left. All those grandpops and great grandpops will answer the final call. May their "great grands" never forget to honor their memory or remember the sacrifices they and their fellow comrades made.

I came across this poem by an unknown Civil War poet, he offers the same sentiment:

Each year some dear familiar face to memories keeping we consign
Each year some comrade takes his place among the shadows in the time
And thus the living ranks grow thin Ah few must be the years at most
Before we all are mustered in to serve among the silent host.  Someone posted this wonderful tribute to our town's fallen soldier's.