Saturday, May 22, 2021
He will be truly missed. He was the greatest man I ever had the opportunity to know. An island in the sea of life. My Grampa. I remember as a young boy, the lessons he taught me on his property in Nampa, ID, about hard work, keeping your mouth shut and your head down and about always paying attention to your surroundings. I remember our long road trips every summer in his Chevy pick-up; a big jar of "Kirkland mixed nuts", his cup full of green tea and me, by his side. He would teach me about the timezones, weather, share stories about his encounters with coyotes and sometimes just hum a random tune to himself. Memories flood of his endless projects and the help he enlisted from me at times... I can still remember when he was getting ready to build something and he was drawing up "the plan" (blueprint). He could do anything, and teach anyone; so long as they would listen. I used to ask, "Grampa how did you get so smart?", Humbly he would always reply, "Matthew, I am not smart, I am intelligent. If you listen to me, you will be too, one day."
Countless memories to share...
I remember when he let me use his wrist rocket by myself for the first time... I accidentally shot the back window out of his Chevy pick-up... I felt so bad, I hid. And when he found me, he only said, "Now, do you see why I told you not to be shooting toward my vehicles, Matthew?". He was so patient, and always looking for an opportunity to educate me. I miss him so much and am so very blessed to have had the Grampa that God gave me.
May he rest in peace, and be waiting at those gates when I get there!
