Thankyou, Grandpa
I originally posted this over a year ago directly from within my initial website’s integrated blog, but as it wasn’t really upto much user friendly-wise, I’ve just transferred it here.
My ‘re-designed’ website (The one that’s live now) was long in the making and was finally published thanks to a little help from My Brother-in-law, lots of dedication (I’m not naturally a coder!!) and lots of encouragement from my Grandpa.
Every week, my Grandpa would ask my progress and check for any online. He showed much interest in new technology, and was the only one in his school class to be a member of FriendsReunited. He never stopped learning.
Grandma and Grandpa lived just around the corner from us, but moved in with us as Grandpa became weaker so we could care for him. Although he was extremely poorly in his last days, I managed to break the good news that my site was finally live. He passed away just a day later (Probably at peace that the damn thing was finally done!). I am therefore dedicating my entire site to him.
Although over one year on it still doesn’t seem real, I originally wrote this the day after my Grandpa’s funeral. He was 81 years young.
My Grandpa was basically my Dad. He should have been there to give me away at my wedding in December last year, but the world works in mysterious ways.
Grandpa taught me to draw. And paint. And make things. He sat with me and helped me with my homework, college and university projects. In fact he helped me with some of my early freelance commissions! He took me on holiday, built our house extention and gave me so much more than anyone showered with money. Time.
He had time for everyone. Grandma had once come home be greeted with a tramp eating a full English breakfast at her dining table. Of course Grandpa had taken him in and this short tale sums him up perfectly; there are also countless other stories of similar nature! I could write forever on how fantastic he was but in a quote from a relative:
“Ronnie was a truly wonderful and kind man. Tremendously clever in every way with so much talent and extremely modest with it. Not one person in the whole world could possibly dislike him. He will be very much missed by everyone who was privileged to know him and the world is now a lesser place without him.”
I have 25 years of happy memories with my Grandpa/Dad, and for that I will always be thankful.
(This is the last piece of work I finished for my family, also given to my Grandpa at the chapel of rest as a final thank you.)
