Grandpa Collins

 On Monday April 23, 2012 my last living Grandparent passed away, My Grandpa Collins.  He was ninety two and three days.  He hung in there just long enough to have one last Birthday Party and one bite of cake. For him it probably seemed like forever for him to pass but, for us it was very quick.  He struggled for two weeks before he decided it was time to let go.  My mother is a daddy's girl and she has been his main caregiver for the past four years since my grandmother passed.  He would come to her home a week or two every month and when he wasn't there she would go to his house to clean, cook for him, and keep him company, once a week.  Other siblings help with visiting when he was at home, so he was well taken care of and loved.  In the last two weeks of his life he was in hospice care in my parents home with my mother by his side almost every moment.   It was so beautiful to see the dedication and love she had for him.    It was very hard on her but, one of her greatest gifts and talents is service and she served him with great love until the end.  He was a wonderful man.  He loved his family, he served his country, he served his church, he loved loved loved to read, he was the best records keeper, and he loved very dearly my grandmother.  They were married sixty plus years before she passed and he missed her so so so much.  That is one of the most wonderful things about his passing is knowing that they are now together again.  He yearned to be with her again so much.  They had the kind of relationship that anyone should want to emulate.  That had a great respect for each other, great kindness, an amazing love.  Even in there old age they were the biggest flirts.  One of my grandmothers sayings was even if there is snow on the roof it doesn't mean the fire is out inside.   I was giving my husband a kiss one time at a family get together and she grabbed my grandpa and gave him the biggest smacker he was so stunned.  She said she didn't want to be left out.  Grandpa wasn't complaining one little bit.  We will miss him here very much but, knowing they are now in each others arms puts a big smile on my face.

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