A tribute to Grandpa Harold
at Sarah's wedding, making Denali laugh.
Before the band concert a couple weeks ago.
With Isaiah
With Quinn
With Denali
A great picture of him I found going through pictures.
When I came into Harold’s family as his daughter in law, he came across as quiet and mysterious to me, and had such a poker face, and I could not read it in the beginning. I could never tell what he was thinking. I did quickly learn he was a peacemaker. If situations got hard, he would do something so unexpected and silly to break the ice and diffuse the situation. He was a ninja, slipping into parties and get togethers, and slipping out again, as he was not a hugger and so he was going to get in, share his stories, and get out again. He was a lover, he loved his kids, and he loved his grandkids. He was always willing to help out when he could.
He was slower to leave when his grandkids were around. He would take in those see you later hugs, he would say to Martha, let’s stay a little longer. He was a great story teller, be it sharing his life stories, or a book with the grandkids. He had the silly faces to go with the stories and the voices, and the nonsense words. He might have been a poker player with the boys, but he was a pro at uno in our house. Those games with the grandkids could go on for hours.
He would stop by Quinn and check on “his girl”, and work his magic to get her to smile or giggle at him. He would take Denali and Isaiah on secret trips to the ice cream shop, and tell them not to tell mom, yet they were so excited to share their fun grandpa stories, I think I found out about most of them. He was a teddy bear who would take Isaiah to school when it was cold, so he would not have to walk. He was always there to stick up for Denali and her messy room. He was always willing to go to music programs and dance recitals, but was also the first, when the lights came up after the recital was done, to say, with a voice that filled the building that he was glad that was over! Giving me a wink as he said it.
He was the calm in the storm, he was the fixer upper, he was the entertainer, he was a kind father in law, and an even better grandfather. I am a better person for having him in my life.
All my Love Grandpa Harold.
Susan
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