Our family just celebrated the life of this kind, generous man. I was lucky enough to adopt him as my own grandfather when I married my husband Charley in 2001, and I knew he was a treasure from the moment I met him. Pop personified the word “service” as he gave of himself unceasingly to the very end.
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He had so many business and civic accolades (many of which I only read in his obituary because he was also incredibly humble), but what I will always remember about him was his devotion to his family and his love for life.
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He was always telling stories (as a journalist, he was excellent at this) about his life as a young man, about his around-the-world travels with his wife Grace, about his antics with Gordon, about being a proud father to Rusty and Dale, about his summers writing for the Blowing Rocket, about his time in the Navy, and about the joy he found in his grandsons, nieces and great-grands.
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I will miss his stories very much, and I know there were many, many more stories untold. His life was so full and rich.
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Pop I hope that you are doing the hula with Grace in heaven and looking down on us, knowing just how much you will be missed.
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Simply put, you were the glue that held us all together, and you’re leaving some pretty big shoes to fill.
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PS: I hope one day Charley and I can travel the world wearing matching tropical outfits, too.
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~shared by @christinehamrickphoto