families are forever

There's a hole in Nate's heart right now, as his beloved Grandpa Jones passed away Monday in Enterprise, Utah. Much like my sadness when Gramma Do died almost a year ago, Nate is aching that Emery will not be able to meet his great grandfather in this life.

After a battle with Alzheimer's and a number of years alone after his wife died, one sweet consolation seems to be that he has been reunited with his wonderful Viola. Nate has many fond memories he's recalled of his grandpa's humor and Sunday dinners at their home in Puyallup as he was growing up.

I had the pleasure of meeting him several times. Right after we were married, we took a trip down to St. George to visit him. He gave us a crisp $50 bill ("to get us started") and told Nate how proud he was that we had been married in the temple. He talked about his own marriage and how much he missed his bride. Then he took us to his favorite spot, Golden Corral, for an early dinner. It's a tender memory we cherish.

Nate hopes to help Emery always remember who his great grandpa was and for what he stood. He was a man of integrity and kindness, and most importantly, a man who loved his family dearly. He's missed already.