RIP G'pa G.
My G’pa Gene died last night. He has lead an amazing life and I feel like I owe him just a little corner of the web. He was 88 and has done some amazing things in his life. He worked on the rail road. He helped design the Ford pickups for 20 years, then after that took a huge part in designing the Ford museum in Sac. He raised 3 amazing independent daughters, one being my Mother. He traveled to the ends of the earth by truck, trailer, plane, train and foot. I remember camping with him from when I was small to hiking around Utah with him only 3 years ago. He was blind in one eye due to a piece of hot metal from his engineering days on the product line, yet it never stopped him.
He and my Grandma camped everywhere, traveling all over the place with his classic 1978 Ford truck and matching travel trailer, for as long as I can remember. When we lived in Alaska, they traveled up there and spent some summers with us up there. They would be camp hosts for campsites all over the US. I remember traveling with them for the summer up to the Oregon Coast and spending lazy days cooking with G’ma, and hiking with G’pa. He had a knotted walking stick that I was always so envious of.
I saw him about a month ago. JR, my Mom and I went out to visit with him. See, his wife died 3 years ago. She was his life. She was everything anyone ever strives to be. G’pa got sick 3 years ago, and had a 5 way bypass. G’ma spent so long taking care of him, she forgot about the necessity of her health too. By the time they found it, the cancer had spread thru every orifice from her neck down to her pelvis. It was only a matter of a few weeks, and she passed on, leaving G’pa shattered. He lived on his own, learned how to grocery shop, do his own laundry, cook, and take care of himself alone. He did it though. And with such pride. And this last Christmas, he passed on the regular check writing to each of us for Xmas, and did actual baskets. They were get away baskets. They had gift cards for the movie store, hot cocoa, popcorn, nuts, candy, etc. they were rimmed with candy canes, and tied with cellophane and a bow. And he did them by himself.
This year he’s been thru meningitis, a broken hip, and near death twice. This week he planted some new shrubs and flowers. He was watering them only yesterday morning. He went in to the bathroom and never came back out. He had a heart attack, and was gone before even hitting the floor.
He was, is and always will be, an amazing man. In some ways, filling the void that my father did after he died. G’pa fueled my love of vehicles, teaching me a thing or two. Always letting me help him work on the truck when I was a child.
G’pa you are sorely missed by many. You touched so many lives with your big heart and head full of knowledge. Give G’ma a great big kiss and hug, and I will see you in the end. I love you.
