Grandaddy was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. On one of my first fishing experiences with him, I think I was 4, I was holding the pole and was reeling in the fish. After it came out of the water, I took one look at it and said, “Too big” and handed the pole off to him. Too big for me! He got a kick out of that and retold that story for the next 28 years.Grandaddy loved people. Sure, he had his moments, but he loved people. You could tell by his dedication to greet his theatre patrons at the Art Theatre for over 60 years. My grandmother sold the movie tickets, and Grandaddy took the tickets. He welcomed the guests by name, warned the teenagers, and flirted with the women.
He espoused hard work and education. He worked two jobs, running the movie theater and his advertising specialties business retiring only 4 years ago. He was forever grateful for the education that Purdue gave him. He had no qualms preaching the importance of education to anyone, anytime, and anywhere, even on the elevator at the Museum of Science & Industry or at dinner at Red Lobster, much to my embarrassment.
He was a fixture at Purdue football games; he had season tickets for over 50 years. Everyone knew him. He loved to travel. Whether it was visiting communist Poland in the 70s, hunting in Central America, or going on a safari in South Africa, Grandaddy was up for it.
He loved collecting things. He was an avid stamp and coin collector. He collected birds from all over the world. Most recently, he collected postcards and nature scenes from calendars. He enjoyed it; he said it relaxed him.
Westerns were his favorite. He enjoyed Gunsmoke and Bonanza.
He enjoyed his grandchildren. He roughhoused with Ed and me when we were little and taught us the card games, Hearts and Cribbage, when we were older. He proceeded to beat me in cribbage most of the time, even last summer!
I loved him very much. He meant a lot to me. He will be missed.
There's no other more appropriate way to conclude this than with, Hail, hail, to old Purdue. Heaven’s got another Boilermaker. Boiler up!
More about my grandfather: http://legacy.post-trib.com/obituaries/posttribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=151428633
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