Grandpa's Girl

This week I said goodbye for now to one of my heroes. My darling Grandpa Nebeker passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. By Friday I was on a plane to Utah, and by Monday the funeral was finished. Thank goodness for my siblings, their spouses, and my cousins, who kept me from going through this alone.

I saw the body in the casket, but didn't even look twice. That was not the man I loved, but a shell, an odd and worn-out physical reminder of a life well and fully spent. Without a twinkle in his eyes, how could they be his eyes? Slightly past the casket was this slide show the Techmeyers put together, (http://www.slide.com/r/poLiDEcB2D-sRs6t4TeIJZ8Im-5qYNrO?previous_view=lt_embedded_url) and here was the man we all came to see. A body is temporary and fragile, but a soul is eternal.

So how does a man from a very small town, with no advanced education, and only one leg get to be my hero? By living a full and enriching life, by reaching out and hanging on, and by valuing what's really important. Let me show you.

• My grandpa always loved my Grandma. No matter how many times she told the same story, he listened and only corrected her if she was on the wrong continent or in the wrong generation. In spite of small differences, he was never complete without her. The longevity and quality of their marriage is an inspiration to us all.


• Together, they built a welcoming home. Actually, he built it with his own two hands and three books from Sears, Roebuck, & co. In the nearly 60 years they lived there, it was always a place for family and friends to gather and be loved.
  
• Every grandkid- by birth, marriage, or proximity- knew where to go for a pool table, a belly laugh, and all the National Geographics you could ever need. He made every kid feel important and special.
  
• He believed in hard work and in doing the job right. As kids, we may have regretted how throroughly his kids learned and passed on the trait!
  
• He had the best sense of humor. His outlook was witty instead of whiny, even in tough situations. He was a great story teller, and it was (mostly) true.
  
• He looked so handsome in his tweed cap!
  
• He could build or fix anything, and he often did just to help someone out.
  
• He had an immense amount of common sense and life knowledge. He could give Mythbusters a run for their money.
  
• He had the boat and seagull doo-doo hat, and all the cousins are now good waterskiers and good friends.
  
• He invented the sport of wheelchair kickball. Why let some little thing like a leg anuerism get in the way of family fun?

In college, I took up the art of stained glass. I did it more for the chance to hang out with Grandpa than for the actual joy of cutting and shaping. He patiently walked me through the process, then sat and told stories while I worked, then helped fix the pieces I mangled or broke. It was like that with much of our lives- no matter what was mangled or broken, with enough patience and good humor and love, Grandpa could make it better. Good going, Grandpa. I have always been and will forever be your girl.

thanks, Mike, for the pictures.