My Sweet Grant,
It has been a difficult week this week because your beloved PawPaw is no longer with us. He passed away on January 12, 2013 after his 1 1/2 year battle with Mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. He was at home and surrounded by his entire family. He is no longer sick and is in a very happy place called heaven. He loved you more than I can describe. He was so very proud to have a grandson and absolutely loved spending time with you and your cousin, Hannah. It makes me more sad than I can ever say that he will not be here to watch you grow up or to meet your baby brother. Thankfully, he was here for 2 years and 8 months of your life and we have so many pictures, videos and stories to share with you so that you will always remember your PawPaw and how much you meant to him. I am so very sorry that you did not have more time with him, but know that he is now your guardian angel and will watch over you every day of your life. I want you to know that he was the best Daddy that I could have asked for and I will do my best to teach and love you, just as he did for me. He was such a happy and loving person. He had lots of friends and was always helping out others. There were so many family and friends at PawPaw's funeral and that have been to MiMi's house to show all of us their love and support. We are all going to be strong for each other and for MiMi and take comfort in the fact that your PawPaw is at peace now. Below are some of my favorite pictures of you and PawPaw over the years so that you will always remember all of the wonderful times that you two had together. I love you so much and so did your PawPaw.
Love,
Momma
Your First Picture with your PawPaw. You were less than 1 hour old in this picture.
1 day old.
First picture with PawPaw after arriving home.
3 weeks old.
Father's Day 2010
4 1/2 months old.
5 months old. Pigeon Forge Trip. "I love you this much PawPaw!"
5 1/2 months old. Halloween 2010.
6 months old. PawPaw's 55th Birthday.
Thanksgiving 2010
7 months old. Christmas morning 2010.
9 1/2 months old. Wearing PawPaw's hat. Your obsession with ballcaps started early, mostly because Daddy and PawPaw always were wearing them.
11 months old.
11 months old. Easter 2011. Having fun with PawPaw!
Your First Birthday!
13 months old. Father's Day 2011 at Lake James.
July 4th week 2011 at Lake James.
15 months old. You loved riding on the gator with PawPaw.
16 months.
16 months. Myrtle Beach Trip 2011. Everyone had such an amazing time on this trip!
17 months.
Christmas 2011. PawPaw had just recently had surgery.
New Years 2012
Wearing PawPaw's cowboy hat.
20 months. You were so excited to wear your new boots that PawPaw and MiMi gave you for Christmas.
21 months.
22 months old. Easter 2012.
2 years old!
June 2012- Nathan's Wedding
Dancing the night away with PawPaw!
Myrtle Beach Trip 2012
Father's Day 2012 at Lake James
July 2012- Hannah's 3rd Birthday
October 2012- Mary Ellen and Adam's Wedding
November 2012- PawPaw's 57th Birthday
Thanksgiving 2012
Christmas 2012
PawPaw was so excited to get this 4-wheeler for you! I only wish he could have seen you ride it more.
Remember that PawPaw loved you so much!
It’s difficult to know how to start describing our Daddy. He was kind, strong and the most loving man. He had the best laugh and was almost always happy, joking and telling stories. He would do anything for anybody and was always busy fixing something or doing some sort of improvements. Either around the house, farm, or for friends and family including the handyman ministry. Daddy couldn’t sit still – he always had to be doing something – He never half way did anything. He worked hard to give us everything we ever wanted and always what we needed. We have to admit that we were pretty spoiled.
Some of our best memories with Daddy are of the many rodeos and barrel racings that we did growing up and the wonderful summers we spent at Lake James. Don’t get us wrong, it was a lot of work having horses, but we all loved it…even wearing Daddy’s coveralls to go clean out stalls when it was freezing outside. When we would go to rodeos Daddy would always say “I want you to do your best but whatever you do don’t knock over a barrel”. Our years of quality time spent at the barn and at the rodeos are memories that will last forever.
Daddy worked so hard during the week and always looked forward to spending weekends at the lake in the summer. We have so many memories of boat rides, seadoos, learning to ski, riding the golfcart and sitting by the campfire at the lake. Daddy truly loved that place and loved spending that time with his family and friends.
He was always there for all of the big events in our lives from prom to graduation to weddings and the births of his grandchildren. He was the most proud PawPaw in the room and loved Hannah and Grant more than we can describe. We had the best family beach trips for the past two years. Grant and Hannah loved playing at the water park with MiMi and PawPaw and we are so glad for those beach trip memories. Daddy loved Sunday nights when we all got together for supper at his house. He loved to take Grant and Hannah for rides on the gator around the farm. Daddy was so excited to buy Hannah a Barbie jeep for her birthday and to get Grant a miniature 4-wheeler for Christmas this year. Hannah and Grant love their PawPaw so much and with stories, pictures and videos, we will always make sure they know and remember their wonderful PawPaw.
He was also so proud to have 3 wonderful son-in-laws, Brandon, Heath and Adam. Daddy loved his girls but did always want a boy and ended up with 3 great son-in-laws, a grandson and has another grandson on the way.
Mother and Daddy taught us how important it is to have a strong faith in God and loving others. He loved Mother so much and they had the most wonderful marriage, one that all of us strive to have.
Honestly, it’s difficult to imagine living our lives without him here, but we know he will always be with us in spirit and will watch over us each day. He is finally at peace now and is in a much better place and we will take comfort in that. We love you so much Daddy.
Love,
Shannon, Kelli and Mary Ellen
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