GOODBYE PAPAW

This has been an exceptionally tough week. Sunday my grandfather fell, and apparently had a heart attack, he passed away that morning. On Monday, I sat thru the funeral planning meeting, which was a first for me. Tuesday was my 29th birthday, the day that we buried my Papaw. Bear with me while I reminesce about my grandfather. He was born in 1922 - and grew up during the Great Depression - he was a wonderful provider for his family, Memaw and 6 children. He worked for Texaco for about 40 years from what I understand - as a pipe fitter. My Memaw didn't have to work, but I think from time to time she worked as a nurse and cook in the Christian school that my parents attended. After they retired, she worked part time mostly to just keep herself busy, and he did too, mowing for the graveyards around town, and others too I'm sure. I moved with them when they moved from Amarillo to Cooper in 1990 - and stayed that whole summer with them, and every summer after that for about 5 years, until my family moved down there too. During my teenage years, I guess I was probably like most teens, and didn't make much time for my grandparents, but I do remember they were always there for me, attending ball games, and choir concerts, the National Honor Society induction and anything else that was going on. After my grandmother on my mother's side of the family passed away when I was 22 - I realized that I had plenty of regrets in not being closer to her, and I corrected that with the only 2 grandparents that I had left, my Memaw and Papaw Sutton. I always told them I loved them when I left, and I visited - not as much as I should have, but I called on a regular basis. My Papaw instilled in me, not only a love for God, and a sense of faithfulness to the work of God, remaining faithful in church attendance, giving, and prayer, but he also showed me the simple things in life. I can remember one summer Papaw came and got me and Eddie and wanted to show us this "new" toy. It was a big metal washer, and he showed us how to roll it and keep it up by pushing it with a metal rod that was more like rebar - I can still remember him chasing that thing down the street, and we would have races - to see who could push theirs the farthest, or fastest... It was the best toy ever - we had fun. Summers there were never boring. He was always making us something. Homemade swings from the big oak tree out front, wooden airplanes... He was always singing too - she'll be coming round the mountain, roly-poly, daddy's little fatty... he always had a song to sing. Most the time they were hymns, but sometimes they were funny. He loved life, he loved church, he loved God, he loved his family. He loved it outside, he would just "piddle" - that's what he called it. he was never still - that's where we all get "sutton's disease" - our whole family has it - not being able to stay still - wanting to be busy, doing something... He always made time for us as kids, just showing us the simple things - gardening, cracking pecans, painting the house, catching crawdads, tadpoles and fish, fixing everything you own with whatever you had to fix it with - he was ingenious that way - no telling how much money he saved during his lifetime doing that though. But he always made time for prayer before bed, and every night he would turn off the TV and read his Bible. it would be quiet in the house for that time while he read the Bible, and then he would reach for the paper or maybe his checkbook. I will miss him so much. I know he's in heaven, and I know I'll see him again, but until I do see him, I will miss him answering the phone when I call. I will miss kissing his forehead before I leave. I will miss my Papaw.
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