See You Later Grandpa Charlie

I was talking to my brother today about the need we as humans have for closure - to say goodbye to loved ones before they depart this life. Well, many of us did not have that chance with grandpa as he passed away quickly this morning. In tribute, I would like to share a few of my thoughts and memories of the good man that he was. This is hardly eloquent or even close to a complete and adequate eulogy, just merely an attempt to grieve and share with loved ones with the hope that they too will remember him fondly.
Grandpa was the kind of grandpa that tried to "be at the crossroads" which means a lot to grandkids. For a while we grew up in the same state that he lived, but not down the street. That didn't make important things less important. I can remember very well when we were baptized, he drove his little red truck out and attended the baptism and then we would pack into the cab or sometimes in the covered back of the truck and he would take us out for ice cream. It became a tradition that I remember anticipating when I was baptized. He remembered our birthdays faithfully and sent us cards and/or called us with well wishes. When we visited family in the same town, he would drop by to say hello and I can remember him picking us up and tossing us in the air with a big smile on his face. I thought even though his name was Charles he was Grandpa Charlie because it ended with an -ly like jolly. I don't remember Grandpa when he had hair, he was always bald and he was jolly, just what grandpas should be, right?
He came to other important events including weddings. Mine was in Nauvoo, Illinois. He and Grandma Donna drove all the way to Nauvoo to be there with the rest of our families. It was a sacrifice and it meant a lot. They visited our family a few times after we moved several hundred miles away because we hadn't seen them for a while. They served two missions for our church and were away for some of the important times, but they wanted us to know we were loved and they missed us. Their serving missions greatly inspired me to serve mine, and I had the joy of serving with hundreds of seniors like they were.
I was there the day Grandpa fell and quite honestly, as cliche as it sounds, it was one of the scariest days of my life. Mom, Dad, my husband, me and grandpa were at the new house working. Dad and grandpa were both on ladders. When he fell, time kind of stood still for all of us until we realized what happened and what we had to do. Dad and my husband immediately gave him a priesthood blessing for which we are all attributing to him surviving the fall. That is truly a healing and saving power. I had to use mom's cell phone to call 911 and though I was terrified, I felt calm and assured that everything would be okay. Eventually it was and it was an opportunity to spend more time with Grandpa and Grandma and I think it gave all of us a renewed appreciation for each other and life itself. As I have thought in the last several hours (after talking with dad yesterday) about grandpa's worsening condition, I have come to the conclusion that death and the sorrow that accompanies it come at inconvenient and often unforseeable times. But, the vision of an all-knowing Father in Heaven is perfectly clear and he prepares us for the life to come. If we are ready and willing to do all he asks, this glimpse of time we spend in mortal life will make us anxious to return there with Him.
If you actually read through this whole thing, I sure love you!!!!