That picture above is of my grandparents and I at our last family reunion in July. That gentleman on the left is my grandfather. He died this morning around 9 am. He was 81 years old. I was a pretty crappy grandson but I loved him. He was the toughest man I've ever known, bar none. He was sick and frail and in pain for the last year but I don't think he ever complained once. He was a great protector for my grandmother and for his family.

I don't know as much about him as I should but these are the things I do know. He was willing to die for his country in WWII. I'm glad he didn't but he was willing to. He jumped out of an airplane over Normandy on D-Day and earned the Purple Heart doing it. I don't think I'd do that now for my country. My generation doesn't understand that. He was strong where I'm weak. I'm thankful he and his generation was strong. He worked hard his whole life to make sure my grandmother and his kids had stuff they needed. He was always a loner and I think I have a lot of that in me but I know he loved his family.

When I was little, I used to spend time at their house and he would teach me how to fix things. I used to ask him what he was doing and he always told me to get up here and watch and learn. He taught me how to drink milk out of the bowl when I'd eaten all the cereal. He taught me, I think in part, how to be a man. He was definitely old-school and I respect that.

When my grandparents moved to a farm in 1981, I used to love to go up there and spend time on the farm. He taught me how to shoot a gun. He taught me how to drink beer. He came from a time when hunting was about sustenance, not a sport, and while I didn't agree with what he told me to do, I respected it.

I remember singing at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversay 6 years ago with my cousin. I was proud then of the effort my grandparents made to stay together and I'm proud now.

He and I never talked much because neither of us are really talkers, I don't think. I know that there are a million things about him that I'll never know now. That hurts a lot and I can't do anything about it. You have a limited time in this life to know the people around you, and when you don't take advantage, or can't take advantage, you're losing that opportunity. It's a cliche but it's true.

I'm glad that I got to have him in my life. One doesn't get to choose one's family, but I would have chosen both my grandparents. I'm glad that I got to see him one more time at Thanksgiving, even though he was sick and dying from emphysema. I'm glad I got to tell him I love him. I'm glad he's not in pain anymore, even though it means that I'm in pain now.

I'm glad he was my grandfather. . .