We recently celebrated the life of a great man.
This was a man I barely knew, though i feel as though i had known him. With all the stories I have heard and the way saw his family love him, I felt as though i knew him. Truth is, I had met him and been around in several times, but I did not know the man he was. Tragically, I knew a sickly remnant of what my husband knew as Grandpa John. He passed away on April 20th.
I wish i had known him before he had gotten sick so that i could have heard what I am sure he wanted to say. He seemed to me to be a man who just wanted to share with everyone. He often tried to talk, but it was often difficult for me to understand. I honestly felt like he was trapped in a body that prevented him from being himself. I think his family might agree.
I took the passing of Granpa John as an opportunity to learn about him and his life.
Here's my tribute to a great man:
He was Italian in heritage and born in 1921.
He grew up in Long Beach, California during the depression.
He was there the day that will forever "live in infamy"
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He served in the Army during World War II with his brother and cousin.
He worked as a volunteer to tell others about Pearl Harbor on the USS Arizona Memorial.
He was never afraid to share his beliefs, especially those that were political.
He had 4 children with his wife Eugenia May, who he is now buried beside.
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On Sundays, he usually went and visited all of his children, their wives and children.
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| My husband reading Grandpa John's account of what his experiences were like the morning of Dec. 7th, 1941. |
He had 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
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He was cared for and deeply loved.
Even though I feel as though i knew him, I cannot help but wish I had known him well before I did. For many this funeral was to say good bye, but for me this was, in a sense, a hello. I definitely learned a bunch about the last name that i now carry and I am proud to have this man's name. I only wish i had known him better!
