Eweser

My maternal grandfather was a carpenter. He and my grandmother lived in many different places. I don't know if any of their seven (six survivied) children were born in the same place. They ended up not too far from where I now live. I was always kind of....uncomfortable around him, and I think it's just because our personalities clashed. He loved to fish at the lake by their house, and when we'd go swimming he would fish. He would always drift into our swimming area and then yell at us for interrupting his fishing. My brother and cousins and I love to tell stories about him nowadays. He died of Alzheimer's in 1997.

My maternal grandmother was a cranky old woman, but loved us a lot even though she never told anyone "I love you." She used to use a long knife to peel potatoes, cut watermelon, etc and she'd gesture with it when she was talking. We always would tease her by bobbing and weaving like she was getting too close to us. She died of complications from a heart attack on Christmas Eve 2002. She spent some time in the hospital before she passed away and I went to visit her almost every day. It made me feel closer to her than I ever had and I'm grateful I had that time.

My paternal grandfather was the most awesome man I've ever met. He would be the closest thing to a "hero" I have. He was a farmer his whole life and there wasn't anything us grandkids would want that he wouldn't get us. There are too many stories to tell here. I've never heard a bad word spoken about him. He and my grandmother were married for 50+ years and when we had to put her in the nursing home because of Alzheimer's, he had a breakdown because he couldn't take care of her anymore. We put him in with her, the same room, and he eventually came out of it and was sharp as a tack until he passed away. It was terribly painful to see that, but at the same time made me hope I'd have a marriage/love that was that great. His parents were German and he was one of five children and he and three others were born in America. My great-grandmother learned to write English with him as he learned in school. I don't believe he had past an 8th grade education.

Looking back on what I can remember, I think I am probably a lot like my paternal grandmother. Stubborn, quick tempered, and tom-boyish (is that a word?). We clashed like you wouldn't believe. Neither one wanted to give in to the other. She started showing signs of Alzheimer's when I was quite young, so it's hard to remember a lot about what she was like before then. My brother was always her favorite, and she took up for him against me (I totally deserved it) all the time. My grandfather loved to tease her, especially at the dinner table. He'd tell a story and she'd say "Now Walter!". He would just grin at us. I see my dad do that occasionally.

Man, I miss my grandparents.

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