Grandpa Anderson

Last Thursday, October 16, my Grandpa Anderson passed away. He was 82 years old.

While outside working on Wednesday morning he had a tragic fall which led to a hemorrhage in his brain. He was kept on life support until all his children could make it to the hospital. On Thursday evening he was taken off of the machines and quietly passed from this life. My Grandma, Parents, and Aunts and Uncles where able to be by his side during his tender last moments here on Earth.

Having grown up in the same town as both sets of Grandparents I have been fortunate enough to have a relationship with all four of them. Having grown up and just down the road from my Grandma and Grandpa Anderson I have had the opportunity to see them on a very regular basis. I also count it was quite the blessing that my kids have also had the chance to know their Great-Grandparents. They were both so worried about Grandpa Great on Wednesday night. Hazel kept walking over to the fridge were there is a family picture hanging up. She would point up and say, "Grandpa Great fall down." Kimball was very up set and shed many tears as he asked, "Why can't the doctors fix Grandpa Great?"

My Grandpa has always been very active, and even though age and health had slowed him down in more recent years he was still able to get around and continued to work outside everyday. Grandpa loved nature and enjoyed being anywhere outdoors. He is a talented artist and has painted thousands of paintings. I have a few of his paintings hanging in my house and will cherish them always.

I have millions of memories of my Grandpa. As I would drive down the road to our house Grandpa was always working in the yard or on one of his rental houses just about every time I went past. I love how his face would light up with joy as I would honk and wave. I knew he loved me.

It was a Sabbath day ritual at my house to play cards with Grandpa. There were countless Sunday evenings that our family spent around the card table in the living room as we played a hand of cards with Grandpa. Even as a teenager this was something that I looked forward to. We had discussions about politics, nature, the problems in the world, and religion. I would dare say that we even had some pretty important testimony building experience with a handful of face cards around that table with Grandpa.

Then there were the cookouts around the fire ring. Sometimes the fire was at Grandpa's "pool hall" and other times it was in our yard. Oh how those cookouts are be burned into my memory forever, and they just wouldn't be complete without my Grandpa there with a smile on his face. Again there were many discussions about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness, but more importantly I recall the faith building discussions as we gazed at the stars and talked about our existence in this great universe.

Grandpa, I love you and thank you for the foundation of faith that you helped to build.

I will miss you!!!

(Grandpa's response, "I love you dear. Bye-Dee-Bye.")