Goodbye, Granddaddy

"You old good-looking devil, you".... as Granddaddy would say.

"Come, little leaves," said the wind one day,
"Come with me to the meadow and play,
Put on your dresses of red and gold.
Summer is gone; the days grow cold."

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,
Down they came fluttering, one and all.
Over the meadows they danced and flew,
Singing the soft little songs they knew.

Dancing and flying the little leaves went,
Winter had called and they were content.
Soon fast asleep in their earthly beds,
And snow pulled a blanked over their heads.

This sweet poem was penned by George Cooper...but it was best said by Robert Lee Love, Sr.  In his later years, he often mixed up words - and skipped the second verse entirely - but I will always love his variations the best.  I suppose that now winter has called him, but I know he will find eternal sunshine in Heaven.

As I look back through all of the pictures that I have collected, it is hard to pick just the favorites. They are all favorites! His kindred spirit was evident in every picture that I have....
He was a...
loving and devoted husband,
encouraging and purposeful father,
energetic and hilarious granddaddy,
role model and leader for his community,
pillar in his church,
defender and proponent for his country,
an angel on Earth.
Above all... the thing that I remember most... he was always positive and encouraging. He never let life get him down; he took each moment and each day as an opportunity to LOVE.  We could all learn a lot by trying to live just a little bit more like Granddaddy. But, he is one-of-a-kind. 

He always had the tiger by the tail...me and grandmother on the other hand, not so much. :)

He made his mark from April 27, 1921 all the way through October 1, 2014. 
93+ years of remarkable LOVE.
I pray that his family carries on his legacy...we have BIG shoes to fill!  But wouldn't the world be a better place if we just make our best effort.