The service

All of my Grandad’s grandchildren got a chance to talk (shortly) about the man at his funeral on Thursday.

This is kind of summation of what I said, along with some addendums of things I wanted to say but forgot.

"You think of the typical Grandfather and you think of a man who wears suspenders, makes fun of uptight people, and otherwise uses a lot of phrases like, ‘By cracky.’

This is not my Grandad.

I always felt like I needed to stand up a little straighter anytime I was around him. I knew I didn’t want to be on his bad side, I just had a hard time figuring out exactly where his good side was.

It wasn’t until I was older and I began to see his humor and his intellect. And what an intellect. A degree in chemistry. A rank of major. He read War and Peace in a week. [My brother’s comment but I liked it.]

Looking back, I never really noticed his generosity – his gruffness tended to cover some things. But he always managed to pay for Grandma’s shopping trips for me, he somehow sent checks for $25 or $50 for all of my birthdays, even when he was decades beyond his working years.

And I can’t remember the number of times he sprung for a steak dinner for the entire family – all four of his daughters, all of their husbands and children and the children’s children.

He was the kind of man whose approval you sought because you knew it meant something.

My wife had a difficult time at the hospital when my son was born 18 months ago. She was worn out. Otherwise I would have driven by to see Grandma and Grandad on the way home. I was so proud of my kid, I couldn’t wait to show him off to my Grandad."

I had never witnessed a military honor guard at a funeral before. It was impressive and touching. Taps was played, the flag was folded and given to my grandmother, the soldier gave the "thank you" speech and it was the one moment I had to blink away tears.

It was a cold and rainy day. You notice these things at a funeral, I think, because of the old superstitious notions surrounding ceremonies -- What is God saying?

A cold day that brought much needed rain to a developing spring. My Grandad wasn’t exactly a warm man. But he was a good, tough man. The world needed and needs people like him to keep it in line. It’ll be worse off without him.