Grandpa's 90th Birthday

Grandpa would have celebrated is 90^th birthday this past May. I had thought about this earlier in the year and then was busy with the visit of Dad and Aunt Betty and I forgot it when the time rolled along. I wanted to post this before the year ended, my apologies for the lateness.

In high school I did a speech about the person I most admire and I’ll give you three guesses who that was. I remember growing up how I was always excited about seeing Grandma and Grandpa. Since we didn’t always see them every year, it was a big deal to me when we did see them, weather they came to see us or it as one of those times that we were able to get out and see them. I remember how I used to love to get those type-written letters from Grandpa. One that stood out was one that he wrote in one of my birthday cards. The part that stood out was a paragraph that started out with “Unless…” which went on to describe how they were going to pay us a visit, if everything worked out alright (which it did). I was so excited reading that part of the letter that I proudly showed it to Mom and Dad. I remember that we lived in Livonia at the time and Aunt DeeAnn and her family came as well (what a nice Christmas that was).

I remember the summer of 1979 that I got to spend a month with Grandma and Grandpa. I got to go fishing with Grandpa and Ray (he really loved fishing!). I even got to go night fishing one time. I got to go with Grandpa on a couple of his overnight trips visiting his customers. I saw how his customers really liked and admired him. I even remember being scared that I would have to eat opossum and collard greens by one of his customers, it turns out that they were only joking with me but it sure had be going. I went with him several times to his AA club. I mistakenly asked if Mr. Pibb was some kind of beer (actually it was similar to Dr. Pepper). I remember that he introduced me to Earl Campbell’s brother (Earl was a running back with the Houston Oilers football team)

Grandpa was a super air conditioning salesman. I remember hearing that he had actually been salesman of the year at Coleman. Because he travelled a lot and was relocated several times, his family lived in several different states. I think that it showed a lot about his character that he was able to make a successful career at Western Air after leaving Coleman. I think that it is safe to say that he was a natural born salesman. Several years ago I received a miniature Coleman lantern filled with cologne and I usually think of Grandpa when I use it. I remember his Coleman coolers and lanterns. I saw a short story about Coleman on television the other day and thought of him.

Having moved down to Dallas to go to the University of North Texas, I was able to spend a lot of time with Grandpa. I was able to be there when he celebrate his 36th year of sobriety. I was also able to see him quit smoking. I remember how he used to chew that nicaratte gum and put the finished gum in his ash tray when he was done. He was very proud that he did quit smoking and often said that it was harder than when he quite drinking (I was pretty proud of him myself). When Grandpa would ask me to do something he would often say that if I did so and so he would dance at my wedding, to which I would reply that I planned on holding him to that! Unfortunately, Grandpa’s health had gotten worse not long before I graduate from U.N.T., so I know that he was proud to be able to attend my graduation.

Grandpa was a huge fan of the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks and I would imagine he might even be following the Stars from above now a days. Mom told us of the story about how he was so into one of the games that he didn’t notice that his armchair was on fire!

Grandpa was a straight shooter, Harry Truman style. Mom used to say that Truman was the last Democrat that he voted for, but I do know that he did vote for Ann Richards when she lost to W. I used to love to hear him tell his stories (even the ones that you had already heard a million times). When I look at Grandpa’s generation (and many other older people) for that matter, they have qualities and traits that seem to be lost to the generations that have followed, things it would be good to seem come back.

Grandpa was a great man and deeply loved by his family. I hope that you had a wonderful 90^th birthday. I miss you.