Bit of Ivory

My grandfather died at approximately 11 o’clock this morning, just as I was being interviewed at BYU. It’s almost a relief. He’s past the pain now, and the anxious waiting is over. Now we just have to learn to adjust to life without him.

My grandfather was a great man. As a child I was slightly frightened by him–he was a bit on the gruff side, at least to us noisy children. But underneath that slightly rigid exterior he was a big bowl of mush. He loved his wife and his family–nothing delighted him more than spending time with us. He was devoted to his church–he left his wife of six months to serve a mission for the Church in the days when our single young men were still being drafted. When we would go to visit him, his scriptures would always be open on the table, with his reading glasses nearby. He had a wonderful sense of humor that he has passed on to all of us. I can remember many times when we’d be sitting there, chatting about something entirely mundane and he’d suddenly start to giggle, remembering something amusing from years before I was born. We’d watch funny movies and he’d start laughing before the jokes even came. I’m one of the older grandchildren, so I knew him better than many of my cousins. I learned to love and respect him before the disease took over his life. I will miss him terribly, but I am so, so glad that I was blessed enough to be born into his family, and that I can remember him and his example for the rest of my life.

I’ll miss you, Grandpa By. The world is a better place because you lived in it. I’ll see you on the other side.