Happy Birthday Grandpa!

On Friday, Ronnie's grandpa turned 90! Yes, that really is the big 9-0! I am a bad granddaughter-in-law and haven't gotten around to posting my birthday shout out 'til now.

We were unable to make it down for the shin-dig, but Ronnie wrote up his memories of Grandpa to be included in a book his children put together for him and since Ronnie obviously has a lot more to say than I do, the following is his memory.

"My memories of Grandpa go back as far as I can remember. There are many to choose from and I don’t know where to start. The motor home trips we went on, the time spent at their house, and the life lessons learned along the way. I have always enjoyed spending time with Grandpa no matter the situation.

No matter what when I think of Grandpa I think of golf, and the game that many people in this family have come to enjoy because of his influence. I remember several instances of golfing with Grandpa, and I don’t think there was ever a time I didn’t learn something (which club to use in a given situation, a new four letter word, etc.) But most important of all I learned an appreciation of spending time with him, and an enjoyment of being around family.

I remember fishing with Grandpa in Idaho, golfing with him in St. George, spending time with him in Silent Valley, and at Lake Perris. I can remember learning from him the value of a penny at Lake Perris, in the motor home park so frequently stayed at. I remember swimming in the Pool with Aubrey and Grandpa throwing pennies in for us to swim to the bottom and retrieve; well we couldn’t find one of the pennies and didn’t think much of it. It came time that we gave them back when we were done looking for them, and he said “Well your one short” and I responded “its only a penny” and he said “yeah, I need a hundred pennies to make a dollar and now I might be short.” And Grandma chimed in with her patented “Oh, Jay…” I learned it’s not the value of that one penny that is so important, but built upon and added to others, they can make a difference.

The enjoyment of visiting and spending time with Grandpa is what has carried over into my adult life, now married, there isn’t a time that KaLee and I don’t go to see Grandpa and Grandma when we are in California, and we both enjoy those moments greatly. I love Grandpa for all he has done; the impact he has made on who I have become is far greater than he will ever know. From the trips, to the time spent in his home, to the many conversations when I was younger prodding me to get my Eagle Scout Award, I love him for all of it. -Ronnie"