The Kings Chronicle: This One's for You, Grandpa Ron...

It feels like I just wrote one of these doesn't it? Last Monday my Grandpa Ron fell and broke his hip. He went through surgery alright, got transferred to a rehab place, and even though he was kind of foggy, seemed to be doing a bit better, so my Mom went ahead and came out here for Christmas.

Then yesterday my mom and I were trying to figure out our morning before I took her to the airport and she got saw a missed call and found out that Grandpa had to go the hospital because of possible pneumonia. Saddly, within a few hours he passed. It happened so fast, I still don't think it has set in yet. I wish he had waited another day so that his children could have said good-bye, but I am so thankful that my sister was there with him, and her husband was there with her. I'm even more thankful I got to see him just a few weeks ago and also got to say good-bye over the phone just a minutes before he was gone. It was all such a whirlwind.

I don't think Grandpa Ron ever realized how special he was to so many people. He was pretty quiet, sometimes kinda grumpy, but also unintentionally funny. I remember the pies he'd bring when I was younger, he had diabetes and couldn't eat them, so he'd just make them and bring them to our house. I also remember the white bowl always out that usually had nuts and if you were lucky MMs in it. In fact, it was on his coffee table a few weeks ago when we were visiting him, I couldn't resist opening the lid, sadly it was empty. My fondest memories of him were when I was in college and every time I went to Monroe I'd make sure to go see him in Reasoner and I'd just sit and listen to him tell stories. He loved to talk about the past, old cars, stories of my Grandma (she passed a long time ago, and they were divorced long before that, but I think he always held a special love for her), people he knew who knew famous historical figures (like Wyatt Earp). You just had to take the time to listen.

Most times when I'd go, his furniture would be rearranged, I'd tell him that he needed to stop and that if he just called me, I'd come help me, but if there is one work to describe my Grandpa, it would be stubborn! But he just really loved moving furniture... In both those ways I am like him, I've been told a time or two that I'm slightly a little stubborn, but also, I constantly move around our furniture, especially when I am sad. Since I had just rearranged the girls' and our bedroom after Griz passed, yesterday afternoon I rearranged the play room, I didn't even realize it until I was done, and that was when it hit me a little, that he was gone.

Even though I'm sad, I know he was not happy, he was strong and proud, and miserable the last couple of years. So, I'm glad he is no longer in pain, I'm glad he just went to sleep, I hope he knows that we all loved him. He didn't want a funeral, and because of Ryan's work, I can't fly home. All of his children are going to say good-bye to him today, and most fittingly, go to Burger King. He went there every day, and I have had countless lunches with him there. I think tonight, we'll go get a Whopper for you Grandpa, I miss you already!