Goodbye Grandpa A

I am flying from Calgary to Salt Lake today for my Grandpa's funeral. He passed away in his sleep between Saturday night and Sunday morning, four years after my Grandma left us. Grandpa spent at least one full year on oxygen because of a degenerative pulmonary condition. He could feel the clock ticking, but it didn't bother him much. He described himself as "playing out the endgame of his life" -- as if it was all one big game of chess. I like his comparison because it implies two things: 1) that he was winning the game; and 2) that he still had moves to make. I don't know if that's quite what he meant, but that's how I like to think of it.

For the last 7 years since we got married we have alternated between our respective families for Christmas vacation. This is mainly because we only had the time and money to visit one during the break. Now that we are back in Calgary, it was possible to spend Christmas with R's family and New Year's down in Salt Lake City with my family. This was a particularly good thing because it was the only opportunity little Scotty ever had to meet his Great Grandpa A. I think they both appreciated the opportunity:


We will miss Grandpa. He was a remarkable man. There was no end to the man's gusto, and I don't think I've ever met his equal. It is sad to think that we'll not seem him again, but that feeling is partially offset by the thought of him being together again with Grandma.