Dear Grandpa

I understand you recently celebrated your wedding anniversary, surrounded by daughters and others who love you. I want you to know that I love you too.

It was special for me to spend time with you this summer when we came to Utah. Having my kids see you again was important to me, because you have always been such a special person in my life.

As a child, I remember evenings at Snelgrove's ice cream parlor, with you telling us stories about growing up near the neighborhood I grew up in. In winter you came to ski, and you took me with you sometimes which was pretty darn cool. I knew I had the most energetic, most generous, most fun loving Grandpa there ever had been. I resolved at a very young age to be active and busy, and to be willing to make and keep friends because of the example that you and Grandma set for me.

You've also been a great example of spiritual strength in my life. Your service in our church for many years was something I noticed and felt proud of (not that feeling proud is always admirable, but I was glad an impressed with your ability to help the Lord in His work). I felt it especially sweet and wonderful that you had the opportunity to serve as a missionary with Grandma, and to act as a patriarch in your stake. Those efforts to serve, along with all the stories and memories my mom has shared about growing up "in the mission field" have stood as a pattern for me as John and I have lived away and he has been called to work and serve in the church. I've felt it easy to give him to the Lord's service (a bit harder when I'm giving him away to "the man" at the office if you know what I mean ;) and I think it is easy for me to give him away because I see what your service in the church did for you. It made you great, not because you were doing great things, but because in the act of serving you became a servant of the Lord. And to serve the God of Heaven in humble ways can only make us better.

My love and best wishes as you ponder the anniversary that would mean 60 years with your sweetheart. (I love and miss her too...) I'm so glad we share blood, and that I am counted among your posterity.

all my love,
Katie