This is my article that came out in last Friday's Herald-Journal. Thought it worth reposting today.
Three weeks ago my grandpa passed the century mark. It’s
pretty cool having a grandpa who’s spent 100 years on this planet.
The past three weeks have been a whirlwind of activity for
him. The partying started with more than a hundred family and friends stopping
by his house to celebrate a life well lived. He’s been on the front page of the
Greenville News and featured on a few local TV news broadcasts.
Last week Grandpa, and his 91 year-old brother Homer, were
able to take the Honor Flight to visit the WWII memorial in Washington, DC.
Grandpa is a veteran of WWII. He landed on Omaha Beach six days after D-Day and
eventually fought his way from there to Berlin.
I love Grandpa Henry stories. One time he got chewed out by
his commanding officer for taking a German Army motorcycle for a spin around
the German countryside because it could have gotten him shot by one of his
fellow Americans. Grandpa always loved motorcycles.
Then there’s the one about the French family that invited
him into their home for breakfast. He taught them how to put cheese in their
scrambled eggs. They served him wine with breakfast.
His unit was responsible for rescuing thousands of Polish citizens
from a German prison camp. He says “That was one of the greatest experiences of
my life, setting those people free.” I get teary-eyed just typing that.
Grandpa is a part of what Tom Brokaw calls The Greatest Generation. There is so
much that makes Grandpa a living example of what Tom’s book. He has always had a
willingness to do whatever needed to be done, without asking for credit and
special favor. Before he could come home, he spent nine months in the Hospital
recovering from injuries brought on by the war, but then he came home, went to
work, raised a family and never complained. You can still find him in the yard working
on his ’61 Corvair, because those cars always need some sort of maintenance.
He is someone who approaches life with fresh gratitude
daily. It seems to ooze out of his pores. We would all be better off if we had
his attitude.
Grandpa has been married to my 94 year-old Grandma for 77
years. That level of love and commitment serves as a great example to a generation
where it is rarely seen.
Veterans hold a special place in my heart. My dad is a
veteran. I spend the first 18 years of my life as an Army Brat. I am grateful
for all of our veterans, but this Veteran’s Day I’m especially grateful for my
Grandpa.
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