When I think of my Grandparents, I can't help but feel the love they had for each other and their family. It is with a smile and a few tears that I share with you my memories of them. My first memories are of when they lived on a ranch, up Challis Creek. The house was not big, but it was full of so much love. If I remember right, it was a sheep ranch.

My Grandparents had four children, two girls and two sons. The oldest son, Perry was killed in a mine accident before I was born. The youngest child, a son Nicky, was born with Down syndrome at his birth. They were told he wouldn't live long and should be put into an institution. My Grandparents would have none of that and they took him and brought him to their home.


I can remember they had a hospital bed, set up in the living room and we would play under it. I'm not sure if my memories of Nicky are my own, or from the stories my mom has told me of him. My mom said, “ When you were born, he was very jeoulous of you. He hid in a back room. We found him, sat him in the rocking chair and we put you in his arms. I told him she is yours to take care of. It was from then on that he accepted you.”


Nicky passed away when he was twenty-nine years old. I was five years old and I well remember the drive we took to his funeral. We lived about twelve hours away from them, back then. I'm not sure if my Grandparents moved in to town before or after Nicky died, I think it was after.


Grandma was in poor health, she was on oxygen most of the time, it seemed to me. Well, the house in town had all the convinces. They brought with them thier cook stove and that’s what they always used to cook with.


We visited my Grandparents every summer when I was growing up and those summers are some of my best memories. We would always go on picnics and we would go rock hunting and fishing. My Grandpa loved to fish!! He would get his waders on and walk out to the middle of a creek and fish away. He cooked up the best fish I ever tasted.


My Grandparents had a red VW Van. It had bucket seats, but Grandpa got a chair and put it between the seats. He tied it down, so Grandma could sit right next to him. I never remember hearing a cross word between them. In Fact, anytime they were sitting next to each other they always-held hands.


They had a wreck in 1980 and with Grandma's already bad health, it really took a toll on them. Grandpa took care of Grandma, always making sure she took her medicine and he cooked for her. A stronger love I have never seen.


My Grandparents were both very hard workers, but they always had time for us Grandkids. We would play slap jack and dominos. Grandma taught most of us how to crochet (ok I can't) but I think most of the grandkids can. She quilted, her hands where always busy making something. Grandpa had a big garden. When they moved to town, he split his own wood to cook on that old cookstove. They collected rocks and would polish them. They had an arrowhead collection. Grandpa had, I don't know how many, rattles from the rattlesnakes he had killed.


As they got older it was harder for my Mom and Aunt Della to travel so far to take care of them. So in the 90's, they moved them to Republic, Washington to live. They had thier own mobile home to live in and someone stayed with them all the time. It was too hard for Grandpa to take care of Grandma on his own. At the end, they were placed in a nursing home.


I was able to visit Grandma right before she passed away; she was very ready to go. I know she didn't want to leave Grandpa. She died the 13th of Oct 1992. I think Grandpa was pretty lost without her, so he joined her on July 13th 1993 and they are together again.


They left behind two daughters, Della and Ella, that loved them both dearly. They joined their two sons, that I'm sure was a wonderful reunion. They have thirteen grandkids, more then twenty great grandkids, and I have no idea how many great great grandkids. I have lost count.


After they died, there were some confrontations amongst the families. A family that was so close and bound by so much love, I'm not sure if the closness will ever return. I know if there is a heaven and my grandparents are looking down, that it is with sorrow.


I live a few hundred miles away, so I have heard different stories. I have no idea what really went on. I get a long with everyone, and I try to stay out of it. I just hope that, one day our families will bridge this gap that has been placed between the grandchildren. We were all so close and spent many summers together with our grandparents, and the example of the love they had for all of us.
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I want to Thank Poochie for making this beautiful set and working so hard to help me make this page. HUGS Poochie

Midi "Heart and Soul" is used with permission and is copyright © 2000  Bruce DeBoer

CDs are available at http://www.mp3.com/BruceDeBoer