Remembering Grandpa Bud

Well, the days are finally slowing down from all the hubbub of the past week and a half. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my Grandpa Bud passed away in his sleep the night before Violet birthday. The days after were filled with birthday celebrations, as well as TONS of phone calls back and forth to arrange family visits and funeral logistics. We had a fun weekend celebrating Violet, and a couple days to relax before the busyness kicked into high gear on Wednesday. Randy flew out of Fresno to Denver on Wednesday morning for the National Hemophilia Conference. A couple hours later, my parents flew in from Kansas. They had a little time to relax before driving down to Visalia to help my Grandma put together some photo displays for the memorial service the following day. Ben flew in later that night as well. All Grandpa's "growing up" pictures, as well as some black and white of when my mom was young (click on the picture to see it closer up). We had a good time looking over photos with Grandma and thinking about fun times and family get-togethers! There were so many family members there...my grandpa's living siblings and their spouses, kids and even grandkids. Cousins I hadn't seen in over 10 years! We all had dinner together at my aunt's house that evening and had a good time catching up. Thursday morning was my grandpa's memorial service. It was a nice service with lots of my grandpa's favorite hymns, a message from his pastor, and some memories shared by my mom, my dad, and my mom's two sisters as well. I recorded the reading of the eulogy on my camera to download for those of you that couldn't make it to the service, but I can't manage to get it off my camera and onto my computer...so let me give you a summary.

My grandpa, Maynard "Bud" Meredith, was born on September 11, 1917. He passed away on November 5, 2008. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Verle, his three daughters, his 8 grandchildren, and 5 and 1/2 (Ben and Alli are expecting) great-grandchildren. During World War 2 he served with honor in the United States Air Force as a staff sergeant in Italy, keeping the radios and gunnery equipment of the B24s in flying order. Within a month after returning home, he eloped with my grandma, Verle Jackson (a Navy Wave control tower officer), thus helping out the statistic for 1946, the year that more couples were married than any other year in U.S. history. He served over 30 years for the Southern California gas company. Upon retiring at 55, he and my grandma served for ten years as missionaries in Spain, France, Germany, England, Greece, and Australia. He died in the little home he built and loved (in Visalia, CA). And was carried out lovingly with an American flag draped over him, honoring him for his service to a country he loved and served faithfully.

We had a wonderful time remembering my grandpa and visiting with friends and extended family over a lunch, given by some members of my grandpa's church, through the afternoon and into the evening, as we ate dinner together at my aunt's house with food so lovingly prepared and brought by so many of my grandpa's friends and family. My grandma got out more of her old pictures and we had a great time reminiscing, and even laughing over some pictures we'd never even seen before (especially the ones from my grandparents' honeymoon)! Grandma also wanted to clean out some of Grandpa's clothes to give to us kids and grandkids...which actually turned into a fun (although emotional at times) and memorable time of trying on shirts, ties, hats, boots, and even his uniform (that is the one item we all decided should stay with Grandma).

Well, my brother left early Sunday morning, Randy flew back in Sunday afternoon, and my parents flew out Tuesday afternoon (luckily there was some overlap so my parents and Randy could visit).

Thank you so much to everyone that sent cards, brought food, came to the memorial service, called to check in on me or my parents, or have helped out with my kids in the last week! Without the myriad of people helping with my kids over the past few days I could not have helped Grandma with her photos, ran all my errands, gotten to places on time (or picked up my kids from school on time), had a chance to catch up with cousins, or had a night out with Randy and my parents! I cannot say thank you enough! Enjoy all the pictures from the past week! Audrey and my Aunt Yvette (my dad's sister) at the memorial service lunch. All my cousins. Ben, my Grandpa Porter, and my dad. (L-R) My brother Ben, my dad Bruce, Isaac, Audrey, my mom Janice, Violet, and me. My brother and I. Some cousins and Grandma, all with hats from Grandpa. Ben in Grandpa's uniform. A silly picture of Uncle Ben and G.G.Ma (taken by Audrey). Isaac shootin' some hoops with Uncle Ben. Audrey and Violet dancin' in the kitchen with Grandma Janice. Audrey and Isaac with my aunt's cat, Jasmine. Audrey and I goofing out in the warm sun at a Porter family lunch. All these events wore Miss Violet out! Isaac in one of G.G.Pa's hats. Audrey and Grandpa Bruce doing what they love...drawing. Yeah...Randy's home! Relaxing together at our final dinner together with my parents on Monday night.