My Grandpa

I am truly a middle generation and have been for the past 6 years. Since I don't know how much longer my grandpa will live I think it is time to make a tribute to him. My grandpa was born Dec. 4, 1905. That makes him fast approaching his 103rd birthday. He has seen a lot in his lifetime including the Wright Brother's fly their aiplane. That is an interesting story. He says that his dad took him and his younger brother(s) to a horse racing track in Kansas. He was not very old but old enough that it really made an impression on him. He said that they waited all day in the hot Kansas sun for that plane to fly. The plane was inside the track and all the spectators were outside the track. He says it was for safety purposes. Finally at the end of the day there was announcement that they couldn't get the plane to start and to come back the next day. So everyone went home but my great grandpa took them back the following day and he says that the plane took off, circled around the track, and landed back inside.

My grandpa actually missed the wars...he was the wrong age. He married my grandma and had 3 children; my dad is the youngest. When my dad was 4 years old he got polio. During this time period they were trying out new treatments for it and my dad was in the hospital with his legs wrapped in warm bandages. After he was well enough to go home my grandma would care for him. She had been sick with pneumonia the previous winter and had never fully recovered (remember, these were the days before penicillin). Caring for him wore her down even further and she contracted the polio too and passed away the fall before my dad turned 5 (his birthday is in Dec and she passed away in Oct). Fortunately my dad has no residual effects from the polio. My grandpa has now outlived 3 wives (he doesn't count one of his bad marriages). He lived in his own house and then his own apartment until last month when he finally moved into assisted living. I think that he is amazing. Here are some pictures:

Here is my grandpa, my dad (on the left), my aunt Bette, and my uncle Ben.

This is a four generation picture taken about 1984. Grandpa holding Diane (on left) and Julie (on right), me and my dad standing in the background.

This is a 5 generation picture taken in August 2007. My dad and I are standing in the back ground. My grandpa is in his chair and Julie is holding Caleb and Jennica.

This one was taken just a month ago. Diane took her kids to see her great grandpa right before he moved. Grandpa is seated in his chair and he is holding Aaron. Ashley is standing on the left. Elisabeth is standing next to Aaron and her great great grandpa. Diane is sitting in the front holding Callie.

We have many 5 generation pictures with Diane's family but I'm not sure that we have a single one with all 4 of her kids so I thought that this would be fun to put up.