A tribute to my Grandpa Bill

#160 And the movies we bonded over

Hello readers,

My paternal grandfather, Grandpa Bill, passed away last week at the age of 90. His health had been declining steadily over the past few months so I’m glad he can finally rest easy and be free of his failing body. It is still hard to lose him and see how that loss has impacted those closest to him, especially my Nanny Dorothy. They were 2 weeks shy of 70 years of marriage.

Five years ago, I moved back to Colorado so I could be closer to family and aging grandparents. I wanted my kids to know their great-grandparents and I wanted to be nearby as the end approached.

I’ll cherish this memory forever.

In April I visited Grandpa Bill and we had a great time together. He greeted me by name as soon as I walked in (an experience I didn’t take for granted as his memory struggled to remember names and faces). I brought a photo book Nanny had made for me and we went through the pictures together. He had been involved in my life since the beginning: From my birth to baptism to Eagle Scout ceremony to graduation to marriage. Every major milestone, and even lesser ones like the 6th grade musical and a cross-country meet, Grandpa and Nanny had been there.

Huge shout out to my Nanny for also being there and always having a camera!

As we shared memories, he brought up his favorite one: The Breckenridge fishing trips and us boys running through the woods.

That’s me on the left. Everyone has their awkward stage.

Yes, these trips are legendary. Only the three oldest grandsons got to go fishing with Grandpa. I was 15, my brother Eric 13 and my cousin Cameron 12. We stayed in the Heavenly Haven, a beautiful cabin surrounded by woods. We went out on the Blue River with guides who taught us how to choose a fly, cast our lines, and find the fish.

After a long day on the river, we’d relax at the cabin playing Goldeneye on N64, eat a delicious dinner that Nanny prepared, and we’d pick a movie to watch. The specifics are fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure Grandpa wanted to show us a new WWII film that would help us appreciate the sacrifices that were made on our behalf and recognize the blessings of living in a free country. The film was called Saving Private Ryan.

I remember the briefest moment of hesitation. None of us boys had seen an R rated movie in our lives (Cameron was still too young for PG-13!) because our parents strictly forbade them. But our parents weren’t at the Heavenly Haven and this was important to Grandpa — the horrors of war should not be sugar coated. So, in the name of historical fidelity, we jumped in.

And it was the best movie I’d ever seen in my life.

Other movies followed. Once you get that first taste of morally gray characters, the unfairness of a broken world, and the complexity of the human experience, there’s no going back. Grandparents are notorious for spoiling their grandchildren and I love that Grandpa spoiled us with mature movies.

We watched Gladiator next, then The Patriot. They were awesome. We found The Patriot so inspiring that us boys went full Mel during a hike with Grandpa. Running from tree to tree, we chucked sticks that served as tomahawks and fired our invisible muskets. Teenage boys playing pretend!

That was the memory Grandpa never forgot when we talked about the fishing trips — how we ran through the woods like warriors. It always brought a smile to his face.

Gosh, I am going to miss him. I’ll miss the way he greeted me — “Well hello there Kyle!” — and how he was always happy to see me and would ask about what I was up to. He had a great smile and a great laugh.

After looking through the photo book back in April, I helped him change into his pajamas, tucked him into bed, gave him a kiss on the head (a first for both of us I think), and sat in his room until he dozed off. It’s a memory I’ll always cherish. I love him so much and will miss him.

Until we meet again, Grandpa Bill.

— Kyle