I have so many memories of this man. To me he was someone who I looked up to. He was an amazing man with such cool stories. He served in the US military. (I cant remember what branch). I honor him for that. He was a welder by trade. He worked on many of the buildings downtown in Salt Lake City. He loved creating things. He had a woodshop at his home where most of the time he would be out making all sorts of things. He would ALWAYS let me help him and would let me make my own things as well. He LOVED to cook. More then not, the food network channel would be turned up to the highest volume and he would be in the kitchen making something. He loved trying new recipes. Some were a little strange and I would not try but most of them I loved finding out what he was creating. He made up dozens and dozens of his own recipes with my Grandma who also shared a love for cooking. He made the most AMAZING hamhock bean soup! He knew it was my favorite and would always make extra every time, freeze it and save it for me until I visited next. His pantry and freezer was always full of canned foods and meals that they would create and save.
He taught me so many things throughout my life. I think the one that holds on best as a hobby is gardening. He always had a garden. Full of many yummy things. I loved going over to his house to help him prep the garden and get ready to plant all the things. I then loved to tend the garden. Every time I visited my job was to always check for weeds growing and pull them. (Now I know it was because he did not want to go out and pull all the weeds, but I was just so happy to be his helper I did it everytime) As I got older, he would come over to my parents house and help me plant my own garden. To this day I try to have a garden each year, since I moved into a new home I was unable to get one started this year, but I have decided to dedicate my garden next year to him. He taught me how to fish. Something we did not get to do vey often but it was always so fun to join him. Something now I enjoy very much as an adult.
He taught me the real meaning of unconditional love. Something I think people only think they knew what it means. He loved his family more than anything, especially his grandkids. We are his pride and joy. He loved us so much. Just knowing how much he loved me and all my cousins makes my heart so heavy. He did everything for us. Supported all of us with anything that we needed or wanted. Any mistakes we made, he looked passed and continued to love us the same. I always say I was his favorite grandchild, but all of my cousins would probably say that as well. He had a way of making you feel so special. He LOVED my grandma. He met my grandma in a time in her life where she was trying so hard to make in on her own. My grandma had two little girls from a previous marriage when they met. My grandpa took my grandma and her kids as his own. He loved them so much and because of that created our family that is today. The love my grandpa had for my grandma seemed unreal. My grandma is a nonstop going kind of gal and my grandpa would just smile and let her do her thing. He was so selfless and kind. I looked up to their marriage and knew I wanted one that looked like that.
He had one the strongest testimonies of the church. My grandpa was a convert to the LDS faith. He joined the church when my mom was young. He always told me to hang on to my faith. My grandpa loved learning about church history and all that comes with it. He was very knowledgeable and has just about every book written about the church. You could always find him reading something, most of the time it was a church history book.
I will miss him so much. I already do. I feel so honored that I was chosen to be his grandchild. He taught me so many things and I am so grateful for that. I cherish all my memories I have of him. I feel so sad that my kids will not know him here on earth. But I have no doubt that he is in heaven with Zaydi and nuthead and future kids teaching them so many things about coming to earth. I am lucky to have him now watching over me and my family from above. I know I have many angels watching over me and now to have him is an overwhelming feeling of peace. He will never leave this families side and he will smile as we do good, feel sad when we make wrong choices but will always continue to be with us at all times.
I love you grandpa. Until we meet again.
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