Thank you grandpa

My family and I said our last good-byes to grandpa on the 18th of this month.  He died of a broken heart.  My grandmother has been in a nursing home for about two years letting dementia slowly take over,  leaving my grandpa to live on his own, in their home for that amount of time.  Every visit with her, almost everyday, knocked him deeper and deeper into depression.  

Jack O'Neal - enlisted WWII

My grandparents have known each other their entire lives.  They were born in their homes just houses away from each other.  Spent their childhood together.   After the war and after my grandmother finished nursing school, they were married.

celebrating his 88th birthday- January 2011

I knew grandpa wouldn't live forever.  In my heart I thought he would.  

He was such a quiet man.  Sure,  he told lots of stories about growing up and the funny, quirky things he did.  We knew his likes and dislikes. 

As we begin to go through his house we are making new discoveries about this person we called grandpa.  I wish he would have shared more about himself when he was alive.  Now we have to piece it together with photos and special items he held on to for so long.   We will never have the complete picture.  

What we will have is everything he taught us.  

Thank you grandpa.