Wally fondly recalls his memories of his life on the farm, living with his 3 older sisters, older brother, mother, father and his two grandmothers. Life was simpler then and it was a happy time for him.
At the age of 16 he developed Rheumatic Fever which damaged two valves in his heart. This illness forced him to miss a year of school and he had to graduate a year behind the rest of his classmates. The damage to his heart would later prevent him from fighting in World War II. No one really ever knew how he felt about not being able to fight in the War but sometimes I wonder if it was a blessing for this man who has such a gentle, loving spirit.
My first memory of my Grandpa was fishing with him out on the dock at the cabin on the lake in Northern Minnesota. I must have been a pretty good fisher girl because I caught a "big one!" So big, it pulled me in. Grandpa (who I am told can't swim!) had to jump in and save me. He was my hero that day. Not because he saved me, but because he saved my fish too! I was the proudest little girl at dinner that night, sharing what me and Grandpa caught.
Grandpa had the greatest greeting of anyone I have ever known. We would all anticipate our meeting with him with great excitement. When we finally got to see him after months of being apart, he would bend his legs slightly, open his arms as wide as he could and in a loud voice say "Lisa, HONEY!" In that moment, you felt more welcomed and loved then you have ever felt with anyone. It wasn't just me though that he greeted this way. Everyone was welcomed and loved in his presence. He had a way about him that made people laugh, feel at ease and comfortable with who they were.
My Grandma was his queen and it was his joy to serve her every day of his life. One of the last true gentlemen. Even well into his Alzheimer's, he still always let Grandma walk in front of him, holding the doors open for her.
Grandpa was not afraid of hard work and found enjoyment in even the most menial of tasks. When he would visit us as kids, he would instantly go to spring cleaning our house, whistling and singing hymns while he worked. He owned a cleaning business for 30 years and took pride in every spot and window that he ever cleaned.
Every morning Grandpa would rise at 5am and spend his hours before dawn talking with God. My Grandpa loves Jesus and shows everyone he meets simply through who he is. I've learned alot about what it means to love from him.
When I saw my Grandpa a year ago, I was prepared that he would not know who I was. What I wasn't prepared for was that the man I loved so dearly would still be so recognizable. I had expected to see someone I didn't know and instead I saw someone who I knew so well that had no idea who I was. Alzheimers is a cruel disease.
I'm told now that he is in his last days. Even in his last days, he is still gentle, loving and still has the occasional joke with the nurses. Everyone adores him. His memories are few now and most are of his early days on the farm, where he remembers driving a tractor, singing hymns while he worked.
Tonight, I will share this cake with my kids and I will tell them about their Great Grandpa. I will tell them about a man who made people feel welcomed. I will tell my son about a man that treated women with great respect and I will tell my daughter that she should expect nothing less. I will tell them about a man who learned how to find joy in every job he ever did and I will tell them about a man who dedicated his life to the Lord.
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