My Grandpa...

The post about our time on Mackinac Island is going to be postponed one post because I wanted to tell you about my Grandpa (my dad's father). He passed away last night.

My grandpa had been in declining health for some time, battling bladder cancer about seven years ago and just old age. I saw him last a couple of weeks ago at my cousin's graduation open house. He was always happy to hear about what we were up to and reminded me that he prayed for us every day.

Despite the declining health, he went to work almost every day. For the last 25 years or so, he and my grandma have been running a radio reading service for the blind call The Sight Seer. They have volunteers who come in and record various programs specifically targeted to those who are visually impaired. It may be someone reading the news and the comics (complete with descriptions of the illustrations) to someone reading recent books. He enjoyed chatting with the volunteers running the station.

When my brother and sister-in-law were here a couple of weeks ago, Michelle asked Grandpa when he was going to retire. He said he couldn't retire because the listeners depend on him. I smiled because I knew he would never retire.

He was a veteran of World War II and worked in a hospital. When the World War II memorial was dedicated, he and my grandma traveled to the ceremonies. When they returned, he couldn't get through describing the experience without shedding tears. It was a moving experience for him.

While he was the ultimate perfectionist (which could drive you crazy when you were in charge of four boys (cousins) ages three to five who were acting like boys) and work-a-holic, he loved joking around like when he had my cousin convinced that he couldn't count and she tried to teach him or when he would bark like a dog and watch the kids jump (I can still hear it).

Most importantly, he loved his wife of over 60 years, his family (four sons, two daughters, 23 grandchildren, plus spouses, and six great-grandchildren with three more on the way), and his Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when his soul left his frail body last night and went to be with God that he heard "Well done, my good and faithful servant".