farewell to a good man

my brother tyler called me to tell me that my grandpa moe just passed away last night. as sad as it is, it was also a relief because he has been suffering for a long time. he has been living in an assisted living home and has been able to keep his mind alive even as his body slowly failed. we had the opportunity to visit him when we went back to utah and as we left i said to ben that i wished i had taken a picture and now i am kicking myself even more. it was a short visit, he had pneumonia and was not feeling well. so i just talked to him for several minutes and then hugged him, told him we loved him, and said goodbye.

my grandpa always amazed me because he had the ability to make friends with ANYONE. when i was younger, he would take us out to eat at a restaurant and all of the hostesses & waiters knew him by name and called him their 'friend.' he was a kind, soft-spoken man and a good grandpa. he was a lover of music and i could not believe the stories he told me, of playing in a band that accompanied nat king cole & even sitting down with nat king cole and having him teach him one of his songs on the piano. he could play any instrument and even when he was older, would always introduce us to the latest and greatest in the jazz music world. i love you grandpa, and am glad you are feeling better.

this michael buble song is a tribute. i think this is how grandpa felt without my grandma and am glad they are finally together again. we'll miss you, moe town!