My Papa

My Papa, my hero passed away Dec. 1, 2010...this is for him

Pop- I love you and I miss you…already. I want to thank you for being the man, the husband, the father, the grandfather, the friend you were to us, but most of all I want to thank you for sharing Jesus with me. I LOVE how you LOVED him. You knew him, I mean REALLY knew him, you spent time with him each morning and reading the Word of God. You served him faithfully and he was your friend. In my heart, even though it’s heavy and sad, it is bursting with joy knowing your home with our savior.

I remember so well all the many times I would ask you, “Hey Pop, how are ya?” And you would say…with out skipp’n a beat, “Kid…if I was doing any better, I couldn't stand it!” I know, with out any doubt, you could not be doing any better this very moment! Thank you Jesus.

I remember so, so many things that I want to thank you for, here are just a few...

Thank you for being strong, so very strong. Thank you for being joyful and singing out loud. Thank you for laughing, and joking all the time. Thank you for being the BEST joke teller in world. Thank you for taking me with you to change the water in the vineyard. Thank you for letting me drive the tractor. Thank you for dancing with me. Thank you for letting us make club houses all over that ranch. Thank you for giving all us grand kids the ranch to play, and run, and grow up on. Thank you for letting me sleep in your bed with you & Nanny all the way up until I was 10 years old. Thank you for singing Froggy Went a Court’n and bouncing me on your knee. Thank you for always taking me to Sunday school. Thank you for giving me wonderful Uncles and an Aunt; I especially thank you for giving me my mother Jackie. Thank you for saving all your Pop bottles and letting us round’em up to turn in for more Sody waters ( that would be Dr. Peppers for those who are not familiar with Pops talk). Thanks for taking me to the Rescue Mission and teaching me about caring for others that have no one else to care for them. Thank you for taking me with you to dig worms on the dairy. Thank you for Mammoth Pools…and all the many years of camping. Thank you for all your stories, and your childhood memories that you shared with me so generously. Lastly, thank you for loving me so much, so much that you made sure I knew Jesus and that he was my savior. This is not a goodbye Papa…this is my see you soon, because I know I will see you again and we will dance all over heaven together. I love you

Charity