My Grandpa Jud passed away from cancer on Monday. I've known and loved him since I was nine years old (he's my stepfather's father). He was an amazing Renaissance man: a minister, a scholar, an engineer, a painter, a tractor-driver. He wore overalls and designed intricately-painted chess boards for family and friends. He took us out onto the pond on our railroad-tie raft called The Collapso. He loved to have long discussions and recite poetry and scripture, but he also loved to retreat to his study to read and paint -- I loved being called out to the study to look through his paintings of the farm where he grew up in Illinois. Sometimes when I was younger and would spend the night, we would eat Snickers and apples and cheddar cheese for dinner. He loved to identify birds as we walked behind the farm. He was at the bonfire reciting poetry the night that Frank proposed to me and he was one of the two ministers who married us. He lived by example and all of us pray for a marriage like the one he had with Grandma Kate. He loved sitting on the porch to soak up the sun, and that is what he's doing in the above picture with Sophie.
He loved to sing, too. Here's a link to a video of Sophie and her great-grandparents' rendition of "Deep and Wide":
2 comments:
Awww, Stacy. This post made me laugh and cry. I love the part about the Collapso. That is so so funny. I'm so sorry about your grandpa. xoxox
What wonderful memories! Sorry to hear about your loss.
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