Granddad's Legacy

this is what i shared at Granddad's funeral... (sorry, it's long... but nowhere near enough!)

In recent years, Granddad expressed concern about not having a “legacy” to leave behind. I know he was uneasy about not having riches to leave behind for his family. It wasn’t that he wanted riches himself, but that he wanted to provide for our every need. Granddad was also discouraged at not having made his mark on the world with his arts… he was never published or sold any of his paintings (to my knowledge). These thoughts were puzzling to me because that wasn’t really the man I’ve always known. Granddad wasn’t concerned with wealth or fame. He always knew that the things of this world were temporary and he was sure of his eternal reward, which had nothing to do with any of his accomplishments. But, despite this, he still struggled over this lacking legacy. When he became sick, I tried to reassure him with this truth: “Granddad, you’ve given us a very rich legacy… we’ve already inherited your legacy!!”

I speak for my siblings and myself (his grandchildren) when I say we were so blessed to have been loved by Granddad and have him as a constant in our lives. We have been shaped and formed by that great man and we are better people because of his influence in our lives!

We dress better because he was a very sharp dresser (who else could pull off wearing his leather jacket and cap?!) – he was particularly concerned with dressing appropriately for the occasion. On Christmas morning, when we were sitting around in pajamas and robes, Granddad would show up in slacks, shirt and sweater AND his bathrobe! And to this day, I cannot wear jeans inside a church sanctuary because Granddad wouldn’t have dared to come into the Lord’s house in anything but his finest!

We speak and write better because of his constant tutelage. Granddad had such a wonderful understanding of the English language and had a passion for grammar and writing that he passed onto his grandchildren. Throughout all the years of our schooling (and well past those years too), we were always welcomed to bring our writings to Granddad for his wise instruction. He loved writing and loved for us to write too.

We behave better because of his impeccable manners. Granddad really was the epitome of a proper gentleman. “Gentleman” is defined as: civilized, educated, sensitive and well mannered. Granddad exceeds the definition. And Granddad was a GENTLE MAN, who lovingly cared for those around him and spoke so gently with his sweet voice.

Finally, we understand God better because of Granddad. Granddad didn’t just teach the scriptures in Sunday School but he taught them consistently, even in casual conversation. Granddad showed us examples of grace and mercy. He was patient, gentle and always had time for us and wanted to talk with us. Granddad taught us that “no one is good, but God” (usually the response if you were foolish enough to answer his “how are you?” with “good”!). By his honest confessions, we better understand that “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. And by his joyful expressions of being saved by Jesus Christ, we better understand our need for Jesus and our promise of eternal life in Heaven because of His sacrifice.

Granddad was such a special man. I know that everyone has their own stories about Granddad and how he influenced lives. Our experiences with him were unique, as we were his grandchildren and were fortunate to have been raised in close connection to him.

We really did have the best grandfather that ever lived. He played dolls with us, was an excellent guest at tea parties and sang as our choir when we played “church” on his steps. He climbed the 130 steps from 5th street to 6th street with us repeatedly so that we could “count the steps” every time (as though the number might change) and he would play outside with us whenever we asked. He was creative and inventive and made for us an amazing dollhouse and countless other toys.

And while he would sometimes try to influence our decisions (we will always laugh when we remember how he would tell us what we wanted or who or what we liked… “Oh, you want more of this” or “No, you like ____”!), Granddad was always supportive and encouraging of anything we did. He often showed up to cheer us on at swim meets, dance recitals, choral or band concerts, proms, graduations and every special and not-so-special event! He encouraged our hobbies, our friendships and our goals. When my Grandma was dying, she and I had been making a quilt together. Because she was too sick to do it (and I didn’t know how), he stepped in and finished the quilt himself! He was always willing to do whatever he could to help us along.

Granddad was always patient and gentle with us, even when we behaved badly. Even when he was correcting us, he did so in a way that we knew he loved us so much. I must mention that one of his favorite memories was when we girls cried out repeatedly to him to punish Bobby for messing with our toys, but when he came to spank Bobby, all four of his sisters surrounded him for protection! But we never felt anything but safe when we were with Granddad. We were so well loved by him! And we were so blessed that God gave to us – five very undeserving kids – the very best granddad that ever lived!