Ross Shirley

June 25, 1912 - October 1, 2008



As Tara mentioned in an earlier post, last week was a hard one. Both of us lost our granpdpas, just 2 days apart. Loosing someone close to you is never easy. Certainly, I wasn't the closest person to Grandpa, but he has been a solid figure in my life as long as I've been alive. Thanks to frequent visits, a couple fishing trips, and one entire summer of sleepovers, I started to feel pretty close to both him and Grandma.

When thinking about all the good times we had with Grandpa, it's impossible to ignore everyone else that was present during those times. There are so many occasions we got together as a family, if for nothing less, than to simply enjoy each other's company. Towards the end, Grandpa would so quietly disappear that few would notice. Not because he wasn't enjoying himself, but because of the amount of energy it takes to be that old. Who could blame him, there are times I wish I could escape the steady background noise of guitars and 60's rock, screaming great-grandchildren, and elevated conversation. Yet, it was all thanks to him that we were there at all, and had a place to catch up with each other.

If I was going to pick one word that would describe Grandpa's funeral, it would be pride - not typically one of the words associated with the passing of a loved one. Certainly, we all feel a little grief and some sorrow that Grandpa isn't going to be around anymore. At least, that's how I feel about it. But from my Dad, and from his brothers and sister, I couldn't help but notice pride in each of their faces. It was easy to tell that, much more than any sadness and sorrow, they were proud to have had a man like Grandpa as a father. They were proud that he was a man of strong mental and moral character. They were proud to have had him as a role model. They were proud to have simply known him.

I was fortunate to have had a few one on one experiences with Grandpa. Thinking about it now, I'm sure all of us that knew him can participate with pride in the lessons we have learned from him.

We love you Grandpa, and we'll miss you.