Catherine Nielsen
My grandpa was a wonderful man, such a quiet soul. He was so generous to anyone who needed help whether it be as small as using our phone because their car broke down/hit a deer, to loaning you a little money if you were in a bind. Most of all he let my mom, sister & I live with him and became the father figure my sister and I needed growing up.
I have so many memories of the years gone by that there are too many to share on here but some of the best were car rides in the country for no reason at all. The battles over the tv, as you could only watch the satelite channels in the living room. We would get up to go do something during the commercials and he'd change the channel on us. I'd come back and have to wait for him to doze off to steal the remote back and the minute I'd change the channel he'd say, "I was watching that!" However, with my sister she'd get annoyed and take off to our room. He'd follow her and say, "Come on baby, you can have it back!" :) One show we both agreed on was "The Crocodile Hunter". We'd say how crazy Steve Irwin was jumping on huge crocodiles or messing with poisonous snakes but we couldn't help but to keep watching to see what he'd do next.
When his memory started failing him, I came back home to care for him as he once did for me. Even though he forgot my name, he trusted me to help him when he could no longer do basic tasks on his own like bathing, dressing and making sure he took his medicine. Although there were challenges these last few months I wouldn't change it for the world.
It feels so strange, him not sitting here in the living room with me napping with our dogs but I'm happy he's in heaven with his memory restored and probably sitting on a couch with his dog Luke or spending time with his parents he lost so long ago.
