The End of An Era...

For those of you who don't know, my Pappy (Carl Stauffer) passed away late Saturday night.  He was not doing well for awhile now, and was living at Willow Valley under nurse and hospice care.  My mom got a call Saturday morning (in North Carolina) that he said he was ready to go and that his breathing was shallow and lungs were congested.  Mom and Dad packed their bags and drove the 8 hrs. to Lancaster, PA to get there before he passed away.

Mom and Dad suggested that I stay put with the kids because of the flu bug going around.  We got a chance to see Pap in August when I was in PA before moving out west.  It was nice because my brother had come into town as well.  We all got to spend some time together as a family and had a chance to say our goodbyes.

My Pappy loved to tell jokes.  Every time I would talk to him, he'd have at least one or two ready for me.  I think our favorite is the one about the monkey cutting off his tail in the lawn mower...then the monkey says "It won't be long now!'  When he'd be over at my house in PA to visit, he would always let you know he was going to leave by telling you he was "going to head up the road."

He loved to go out to eat and would often treat Riley and me to lunch in the summers at Willow Valley or Country Table.  He would enjoy watching Riley play at his house.  He use to get out some of his really old cars and trucks that he played with as a child.  Riley was talking about Pappy's lifesaver truck just last night.

My grandfather was also a HUGE Phillies fan.  How fitting is it that the Phil are in the NLCS against the Dodgers right now?  Every time I see or hear something about the Phils, I automatically think how much he'd love to see his team make it to the World Series once again.

I remember how he use to have a velcro ball dart board that he'd keep in his hall closet so my brother and I could play when we stayed at his house.  He also took Matt and I on numerous fishing trips.  I remember he was the first one to ever teach me how to fish.  We went to a hatchery so I'd have a decent chance of catching something.  We also use to pretend we knew how to play the piano by pounding on the keys of the old piano in the basement...thank goodness it was kept downstairs, because we made an awful lot of noise! (notice I didn't say "music")

Riley prayed for Pappy Stauffer faithfully up until I told him that he passed away and was up in Heaven with Jesus.  After that, the prayers for Pappy ceased...as if he understood that when you get to Heaven, you no longer need anyone praying for you and that someone else down here on earth can use your prayers...

Holidays and family celebrations are going to be different, but that's how life goes, you bring new members into your family and loved ones leave.  NOTHING is ever the same.  I am grateful that at least one of my grandparents got to meet and love on my kids...Now mom and dad are the older generation (sorry guys!) and they will need to start telling the stories of walking 5 miles to school uphill, in the snow, with no shoes to make this younger generation appreciate how good they have it.

We love and miss you Pappy.  You will always have a place in our hearts.