Both of my Grandpas have passed away. My Grandpa Winters died about 3.5 years ago and my Grandpa Terrell died about 9 years ago. I have thought more about them recently for two main reasons. First, I have been doing a lot of work in hospitals and nursing homes recently. Many of the men I have treated remind me, in one way or another, of my grandpas. Second, I can see the slow deterioration of both of my grandmas and I have to wonder when they are going to pass on as well. I know that last thought isn't a pleasant one but death is inevitable.
Grandpa Terrell
My Grandpa Terrell passed away when he was 85 years old. He worked most of his life as an auto mechanic, after serving in the Sea Bees during WW II. Even once he retired as an auto mechanic, he continued to work. He got a job doing maintenance at a local Christian college. He spent about 20 years working 3 days a week doing small engine repair and maintenance and whatever else they had for him to do. Working was part of who he was. He had to work. He didn't know what else to do. If he ever had to take time off work, he would get immensely bored. How many people do you know that worked 20 years after retirement?
Grandpa was always a jokester. He took pride in being born on April 1st (April Fool's Day). There was no particular favorite joke but he always had a smile on his face (except when we splashed water out of the pool - DON"T SPLASH WATER OUT OF THE POOL!!!). I think he and my Grandma Terrell were kind of pack rats because they never seemed to throw anything out. Their house was not messy. In fact my Grandma always kept the main floor nice and tidy. The basement, however, was full of stuff (or junk, depending on how you looked at it). The explanation I was always given was that Grandma and Grandpa had grown up during The Depression and you did not throw anything away. You could always find some other use for any item. They were Green before anybody knew what Green was.
There is one item of my Grandpa Terrell's that I truly cherish. It is an old, beat up, black lunch box. It is the same lunch box my Grandpa used from the time he got out of the Navy until he died. One lunch box in all that time. Why? It was perfectly good. Yes, it was beat up and the paint had chipped or peeled away on a lot of it but it still worked perfectly fine. In many ways, that sums up my Grandpa Terrell. Beat up and chipped paint, but he still worked perfectly well.
Grandpa Winters
Grandpa Winters retired from the Grand Rapids Police Department. He was a beat cop and then a detective later on. He also served during WW II. In fact, he met my biological grandma while serving in Great Britain. Both my Mom and my Uncle Bob were born overseas. I'm pretty sure Aunt Barb was born in the States.
Grandpa had heart disease. I think a major heart attack and a multiple bypass procedure got him to retire early. I don't remember the exact order of events. Did the heart attack precede his retirement? I should ask Grandma.
Prior to retirement, Grandpa and Grandma had a cabin near a lake between Newaygo and White Cloud. After retirement, they also had a mobile home in southern Texas. And I mean southern Texas, like on the Mexico border. At some point, they sold the cabin and moved full-time down to Texas.
We didn't see them often after that. They would come up maybe once per year for 3 weeks to a month and hang out with their family. I never went down to Texas. From what I hear of the weather, I didn't miss much. As Grandpa's health started to deteriorate, there was more and more pressure for them to move back up to Michigan. I think the "final straw" might have been when they missed my wedding because Grandpa wasn't healthy enough to travel.
After moving back up here, Grandpa would often comment about how much he had missed and how much he enjoyed being around his family again.
Lessons Learned
My grandpas taught me quite a lot, most of it unintentionally.
From Grandpa Terrell:
Grandpa Terrell
My Grandpa Terrell passed away when he was 85 years old. He worked most of his life as an auto mechanic, after serving in the Sea Bees during WW II. Even once he retired as an auto mechanic, he continued to work. He got a job doing maintenance at a local Christian college. He spent about 20 years working 3 days a week doing small engine repair and maintenance and whatever else they had for him to do. Working was part of who he was. He had to work. He didn't know what else to do. If he ever had to take time off work, he would get immensely bored. How many people do you know that worked 20 years after retirement?
Grandpa was always a jokester. He took pride in being born on April 1st (April Fool's Day). There was no particular favorite joke but he always had a smile on his face (except when we splashed water out of the pool - DON"T SPLASH WATER OUT OF THE POOL!!!). I think he and my Grandma Terrell were kind of pack rats because they never seemed to throw anything out. Their house was not messy. In fact my Grandma always kept the main floor nice and tidy. The basement, however, was full of stuff (or junk, depending on how you looked at it). The explanation I was always given was that Grandma and Grandpa had grown up during The Depression and you did not throw anything away. You could always find some other use for any item. They were Green before anybody knew what Green was.
There is one item of my Grandpa Terrell's that I truly cherish. It is an old, beat up, black lunch box. It is the same lunch box my Grandpa used from the time he got out of the Navy until he died. One lunch box in all that time. Why? It was perfectly good. Yes, it was beat up and the paint had chipped or peeled away on a lot of it but it still worked perfectly fine. In many ways, that sums up my Grandpa Terrell. Beat up and chipped paint, but he still worked perfectly well.
Grandpa Winters
Grandpa Winters retired from the Grand Rapids Police Department. He was a beat cop and then a detective later on. He also served during WW II. In fact, he met my biological grandma while serving in Great Britain. Both my Mom and my Uncle Bob were born overseas. I'm pretty sure Aunt Barb was born in the States.
Grandpa had heart disease. I think a major heart attack and a multiple bypass procedure got him to retire early. I don't remember the exact order of events. Did the heart attack precede his retirement? I should ask Grandma.
Prior to retirement, Grandpa and Grandma had a cabin near a lake between Newaygo and White Cloud. After retirement, they also had a mobile home in southern Texas. And I mean southern Texas, like on the Mexico border. At some point, they sold the cabin and moved full-time down to Texas.
We didn't see them often after that. They would come up maybe once per year for 3 weeks to a month and hang out with their family. I never went down to Texas. From what I hear of the weather, I didn't miss much. As Grandpa's health started to deteriorate, there was more and more pressure for them to move back up to Michigan. I think the "final straw" might have been when they missed my wedding because Grandpa wasn't healthy enough to travel.
After moving back up here, Grandpa would often comment about how much he had missed and how much he enjoyed being around his family again.
Lessons Learned
My grandpas taught me quite a lot, most of it unintentionally.
From Grandpa Terrell:
- There is value in good, old hard work
- Everything has value, if you are willing to look for it
- Have a sense of humor
- Love your wife. Love your family. Love your God.
- Don't splash water out of the pool (everybody knows that)
From Grandpa Winters
- Spend time with those you love. Nobody knows how much time they have, so take advantage of what you have.
- Spend time doing what you love.
- Tell your wife how much you love them and how lucky you are to have them (because you are!).
Looking back, I wish I had spent more time with my Grandpas. I wish I had asked more questions, listened to more stories, gotten more explanations. Yes, I regret not doing these things but I'm also pretty convinced I will have another chance someday. Maybe by then, we will all be so happy that none of it will matter anymore.
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