My Dear Grandpa

Richard Smith Fairbanks, My grand-father died peacefully on April 2, 2010 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. Sorry it taken my so long to write a tribute to him. I sure loved my Grandpa, I only wished I had spent more time with him, but it was hard because my mother never really had a great relationship with.

My most treasured memory of grandpa is the last one I have of him. It was only a week before his passing, I had plans to hang out with my sister and was on my way up to visit; she was still at grandpa's helping them with a project. We decided to go there and help them finish the project. Grandpa had been wandering around the house and was very weak. Grandma was afraid he would fall down the stairs and Jason was installing a loct to keep him out of the basement. When we arrived, it was apparent that he was incoherent. He barely knew where he was and didn't care that he was half-dressed. He was supposed to have a little supper, but got confused with everybody there. He started to head upstairs, even though a bed had been provided for him downstairs in the living room. Grandma was anxious that he would slip and fall if he went up the stairs so she had me head him off. I went to the stairs to stand in his way in a gentle fashion, hoping to coax him to the bed in the living room. As stubborn as he was, no one was going t keep him from going upstairs. He gently took may head in his hands and looked into my eyes. He didn't say anything, and for a moment , he came out of the fog and was alert to my presence. He tenderly kissed me on the forehead as if to say, I love you and goodbye, Now get out of my way, sweetheart. And then he plodded on upstairs and that was the last I saw of him. I kind of knew it in my heart. I will always treasure that special moment and I was glad that I had an opportunity to say goodbye.