My Speech at my Poppy's Funeral

Hello, I’m Kerrie, [my grandpa and grandma's] first-born and oldest grandchild, and I don’t think they quite knew what to do with me after having 4 sons!

  

I was always making my Poppy, as I called him, play customer to my waitress and babysit my dollies and restart the hi-fi over and over so I could twirl around the family room in my pretty dress.

  

Poppy is so special to me and always will be, for so many reasons. I remember 1,000 things about him, but don’t worry; I’ll only share a few with you now!

  

He was never grumpy, and I don’t remember him saying one unkind thing to me ever.

  

He built me the most beautiful dollhouse, which I still have.

Through his hard work as a carpenter and builder of homes, he funded all the trips to Independence Center Grandma and I would take, the Cabbage Patch Kid I never dreamed I would get for Christmas, a trip to Bible camp in Colorado.

  

I remember going to see him at job sites and being amazed at what he could do. I wanted to live in every house he built.

I remember how much in love with Grandma he always was and how she was his everything. I wanted that for myself and got it finally, actually by taking some of his kindly and carefully given advice.

  

And of course, his family and God always came first. He was a loving father who was always looking out for, and having fun with, his sons and their families.

  

And when it came time to welcome new family members, he always invited them in with open arms. I know my husband will miss Poppy — and their fishing trips — VERY much.

  

He treated my kids and my cousins’ kids so well, joking with them, coloring with them, having fun. He was always smiling.

  

He was a jokester, that’s for sure.

  

He was a Christian who walked the walk.

  

He modeled the biblical principle of Turn the Other Cheek and was patient and kind.

  

I always wanted him to be proud of me and he makes me want to strive to be a better person still.

  

I think of him now as fishing in a nice, big boat with his brothers, his sister and his parents on the most beautiful lake imaginable.

  

I see him smiling at all of us and telling us that everything is going to be okay.

We will miss you so much, Poppy, but what gets us through this tough time is knowing we will see your smiling face again someday.

  

I love you, Poppy.