I was asked by my grandparents to do a dedication from our side of the family at Great-Granpa's memorial service. I was happy to oblige, and had actually considered asking if I could get up and say something. I meant to post this along with the previous post, but the paper was under a pile of laundry in my room. This is what I came up with... my apologies for being repetitive...
"Since hearing about my great-grandfather's passing, I've been filled with mixed feelings. Obviously, sadness has been one of those emotions that have come and gone in waves. Surprisingly, though, laughter has probably consumed my thoughts and emotions more than anything else. This may seem like a bit of a strange response on the surface, but every time I think about my great-grandpa, I think of all the jokes he used to tell me, and I also think about his incredible spirit. Only a few weeks ago when my wife and I met my uncle K. and my parents at the care home, he was talking about hosting the party house in the building. Then, I would think about his, let's call it "creative" wardrobe. Throughout my life, he always struck me as an entertaining and energetic soul, and these thoughts have outweighed anything else by far.
When I heard the news last weekend, pieces of a T.S. Eliot poem popped into my head. The poem discusses the aging of an elderly man who attempts to cope with getting older. One line reads, "I grow old, I grow old, I wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled." Well, we didn't ever know if grandpa's pants were going to be rolled into cuffs or not, but it would be a pretty safe bet that his pants were going to be just a bit too short, and would almost definitely feature some sort of colourful plaid. I still have memories as a kid, seeing him decked out in plaid pants, a plaid sweater, plaid hat, and plaid socks. The only problem with this spectacle was the fact that each garment had a different colour and pattern, making him quite the sight. It's this type of memory that truly speaks to his ability to walk to his own drummer.
Another memory that came to mind was of a phone call great-grandpa made to my mother-in-law about two years ago. My wife and I had just gotten engaged, and after receiving his invitation in the mail, he did not waste time and phoned my mother-in-law to RSVP. After introducing himself on the phone, he was pretty excited to learn that he was the very first person to reserve his seat at the wedding. He was also happy to point out that he was going to be the oldest guy in the building, too. My mother-in-law still remembers the first introduction she had to great-grandpa, and the memory still makes her laugh to this day.
My uncle R. was the one to inform me of great-grandpa's passing, since I've been working with him throughout the summer. He made a comment that has stuck with me since... he pointed out that my grandfather, R.M., has been able to have his father with him for around seventy years. Considering all the tragedy in the world, this makes for a pretty lucky family in my estimation. I've mentioned the fact that I still had a great-grandparent around to some of my teaching colleagues this past year, and countless jaws hit the floor. Rarely are people able to hear about great-grandparents being alive, and I've been lucky enough to have mine around for my whole 25 years. It's difficult for me to dwell on my sadness when I think of these things. Not only has great-grandpa lived a long life, but he has been able to live a particularly full life surrounded by his family. Also, how many people can say they're chartered members of the Elks Golf Club and now golf for free? This is how I'll always remember my great-grandfather, and I can only hope that all the people here will remember him with the same pleasant memories."
- T
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