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| smurf cousins w/ face masks |
We are back. Our trip was good, at least as good as a funeral trip can be. We got to spend several days with our family and did a lot of visiting.
We did a little shopping, the kids went laser tagging and Abba and Ethan went golfing. We also went to the service. It was very nice. R gave a talk, which I thought was the best one. I copied it here.
Our drive home was pleasant. The trees were even more beautiful than on the way up. We listened to a lot of conference. Which was AWESOME. (more on that later)
Rob's talk:
Grandpa Thacker was a man dedicated to service. He married my grandmother
Peg and started his family just before deploying to WWII. He spent a long and
fruitful career in the Air Force, eventually retiring a full colonel, no small feat in
a field dominated by pilots. For decades, he was an active leader in local area
scouting, serving on the Council leadership. He was very active both in Florida
and here in Ohio. Even in real estate, he served other. Yes he made a little
profit, but he did it in a unique way. He gave mortgages to people who would
have trouble qualifying otherwise, typically military NCO families, without a large
income, but he saw their character and wanted to give them a chance to own a
home. And as my children knew him, they saw him volunteer at the AF museum
for decades. Nearly every time we came to Ohio to visit, which was a couple
times per year, there was the requisite trip to visit Gramps at the museum where
he was finishing a shift and then to Rouche’s for lunch. We miss the milkshakes
they used to serve.
Grampa was a very earthy guy. He was very sardonic. He would joke about his
own mortality frequently, often making those of us around him worry a little, but
he was just very earthy. Grandma Peg told me a few times that the reason she
married Grampa was that he made her laugh. His wit was not one that could be
comprehended with partial thought. You had to really be paying attention, for
it could be subtle. He was a brilliant man. His mind was always working on his
current project.
Speaking earthy, he knew where he came from, and he knew where he was going.
He grew up a farm boy, and his heart remained with the farm throughout his
life. He was my garden consultant. I grew up playing in his backyard jungle, and
watching, and sometime helping my parents in our much smaller garden. Like
any kid, I didn’t think I was enjoying this. But when I bought my own house in
Florida, I found myself buying a shovel and gloves and planting stuff. I would
email Gramps occasionally to get his advice on soil amendment, weed control,
etc. This year my zucchinis all died of some kind of rot. Gramps in his sardonic
way said I had achieved something because I figured out how to kill the things.
I’m very grateful that when my Mom got divorced when I was a baby, Grampa
took us in, and until she remarried my dad, Grampa served me as a father. I
remember those years. She wasn’t remarried until I was about 8, so I can
remember being with him and my grandmother frequently, at least a couple
times per week.
Grampa left behind 4 children, 3 grand children, and 6 great-grand-children so
far. Each of his children is self-reliant, which brought him great joy. He told me
that the last time I saw him in August. Brian is the oldest, who I so appreciate as
he has always been present in my life for anything important, and is just a part of
my family. He has adopted us, and we him. My mom is my mom, I can’t really
say anything to highlight the role of Mother that would do it justice. Physical and
emotional sacrifice without bound. I am always grateful and have great love for
her. My aunt Becky, who always tried to offer a different point of view to get me
to think. And Tom, who was my hero growing up, my friend for all sorts of fun
sports and activities in Florida, and shares a love of Ohio State Football.
A great Greek philosopher, Gus Protakolos (the dad on My Big Fat Greek
Wedding), once said that even though we are all apples and oranges, in the end,
we are all fruit. We are all family and should strive to remain united.
Grampa leaves us behind, with our spouses and families. He left a legacy of
gardening that made me weep this last week as I slowly walked around a peaceful
Menonite nursery thinking of him last Friday, and as I walked slowly around his
backyard yesterday. That is where I feel him, in the garden. As I said, Grampa
was an earthy guy. As far as he was concerned, he came from the earth and
would return to it. But he also knew that he would see his bride Peg again. I
know that is true, and that we can all be reunited with those we love through
faith in Christ, and service to others. May we strive to be in unity here on this
earth, and hereafter.
I offer these thoughts in the name of Jesus Christ.
