Sharing this reflection in memory of my generous, strong, God-fearing grandpa who joined our Heavenly Father on September 20, 2025.
There are some life and leadership lessons Grandpa imparted that stand out.
- Always keep your hope for people, especially the ones you love.
- Don’t overcomplicate things.
- Love and serve well.
- Never stop striving after Jesus.
Time and time again we disappointed Grandpa, but he never gave up on us. I know I did because he told me. I’ll never forget when I got caught drinking my freshman year of college. The family was all together to watch my sister play state volleyball and when I came to say hi and tried to sit next to Grandpa he said, “You can’t sit here. I’m disappointed in you.”
At the time, it really stung. I was so sad that he was disappointed in me. I also realized that he saw something in me. He believed I could make better decisions. He let me know how he felt, but he kept loving me too. This is just one small example of how he always kept his hope for people…especially for his family.
Another thing I think we’ve all admired about grandpa is how resourceful he was. Simple things made him happy and he seemed to find everything sacred…sometimes he saw sanctity in things we could not understand…frustrating yet also endearing. Grandpa seemed to find a lot of joy in small things and in keeping life simple. He didn’t overcomplicate things.
When I comb through all the memories, I see how well grandpa loved and served others. I remember how he used to visit his mom twice a day everyday while she still lived at home in her later years, how he doted on grandma who was clearly the love of his life, and how I never heard or saw him complain about work or volunteering or any of his other commitments. I’m sure he did but I was grateful he role modeled to us what it looked like to love and serve others well.
One of my all time favorite memories of grandpa was at Grandma White (his mom)’s funeral. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and we were at the cemetery saying our final goodbyes. At one point, he broke down. I was standing next to him and grabbed his hand. We held onto each other while he cried. It was at that moment my love for him expanded, and I became more curious about his inner world…who he was beyond the silent, sometimes tough exterior.
During visits after that I pursued opportunities to find him alone and sit on the porch asking him questions about his life. In these last few years he shared some of his experiences and his wisdom with me and I am so thankful for those moments.
On a visit to our home a few years ago, I asked grandpa what he and grandma’s secret was. How did they always seem so happy even in the midst of the hardships they faced? He told me he didn’t think too much about it and didn’t know what to say. He was patient but I could tell he was uncomfortable with all my probing questions. I gave him an out and said I would love it if he would think about it and maybe write me a letter. This is what I received.
Lindsay, I hope this is the kind of letter you want.
We have been the luckiest couple of people in this world. We love each other so much we cannot seem to find anything to fight about.
We have been blessed with 5 wonderful children, 12 beautiful grandchildren, and so many great grandchildren we can’t keep up.
We were both born into families with loving parents and aunts and uncles who all worked together to keep each other happy and loving our maker.
In our devotions the other morning we found the answer to your question. Get your Bible out and read Psalm 139: 1-6. It explains everything about why we live the life we should live and the reason we do as we do.
We love all our family with the same amount of love that we receive back from them. It has been a great life and we are blessed beyond belief. God is always with us in everything we do and say. May he also fill you up with all the love you can hold.
Love you, Grandpa and Grandma
What I have come to admire most about grandpa was his faith. He never stopped striving after Jesus, and he shared with me in this letter that he believed Jesus was the answer to a good life. When he asked me if I had been to church, it was because he knew it was there I would find the peace I was searching for.
I believe the greatest gift grandpa gave our family was a strong foundation of faith, an invitation freely offered and role modeled in his own life. In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead may we carry on grandpa’s legacy by continuing to strive after Jesus like he did until we meet him again in Heaven.
Grit, Gratitude, and Grace 