Till we meet again Grandpa

I can't believe a month ago we lost our Grandpa! We saw it coming eventually, but that still doesn't prepare you for the actual day you have to say your goodbyes. I remember it being a Tuesday night, November 2nd, I got a phone call from my Grandma letting me know Grandpa wasn't doing so well and that I should plan on coming over the next day to say my goodbyes. Since I was at YW's during that phone call I definitely agreed and instantly made it a priority to make our visit over in the morning. It wasn't more than 30 minutes later and all the YW girls had gone home and we were in the middle of our presidency meeting when I got another phone call from my Aunt Linda letting me know I should probably come tonight instead. Instantly the tears were present and I knew I had to go over. I left my meeting and went home to get Nate and the boys so we could drive over to my Grandmas. After finishing baths, getting the kids in their pajamas, we were off to say goodbye to Grandpa at 9:30pm. We made a quick stop to let Jackson say his goodbye and then thank goodness Nate's mom lives across the street so the kids could stay with her while we were with my family. What an emotional few hours. I think we went through every emotion you can have besides anger that night. Of course we all had our tears, but it was amazing to hear all the stories, laughs and fun times everyone had with their Husband, Dad and Grandpa. What a sweet spirit that filled the room as well. We all knew Grandpa knew we were there even though he was in the last stages of death. What a hard decision it was to finally go pick up the boys and go home rather than stay there as long as we could. I honestly thought when we left I could still come see him the next morning while Jackson was at school. I was partly right, but this visit was to say my official last good bye before the mortuary took his body. I remember waking up at 6:35am and I just knew Grandpa was in his last few minutes of this mortal life. It wasn't long until I started getting the phone calls around 7am making it a reality. I finished my morning routine, dropped Jackson off at preschool and then I made it over just in time to have a family prayer with Grandpa before he was taken. It was hard to watch our Grandpa get wrapped up in cloth and rolled out to the mortuary's van, but the hardest part was watching my Grandma seeing her companion carried out of their room that they had so lovingly spent so many nights side by side. In his last moments of life, my Grandma held him in her arms as he took his last few breaths. What a sweet memory and legacy they taught all of us that day. They taught us that no matter what happens in this mortal life, love can carry on. Love is what gets us through anything and it is what binds us from this life to the next. If it wasn't for the love Heavenly Father had for his Son and for each and everyone of us, the chains of death would not be broken and the knowledge of eternal families that we so faithfully look forward to one day is a reality that we long for after days like this.

A few days later the funeral plans were in full swing. My sister and her family, along with my parents all came into to town Friday night. We spent a few days having fun and catching up in between all the funeral plans. Sunday night was the viewing and the following Monday was the funeral services. We started with a brief viewing again, then a family prayer before closing the casket, then some beautiful words from my cousin Trent, a song offered by Farr grand kids, and my Aunt Valerie reading his eulogy in closing. 

The following is his eulogy:

Richard Ray Hansen passed away on November 3, 2010 after a valiant and courageous battle with Alzheimer's.

He was born August 20, 1936 in Provo, Utah to Raynold Afton Hansen and Melba Nettie Smith Hansen, better known to all of us as Bo and Nanna. He is the last to pass away of the four children.  His older brother who he didn’t get a chance to really know Robert died in World War Two, and two sisters Joyce and Janet who also passed away from Alzheimer’s.  Joyce passed away just a year and 1/2 ago and Janet 2 ½ months ago. We’re just hoping that Janet has her running shoes on since Dad’s favorite thing to do was to chase her. And knowing Dad he would do it just for fun. Dad is now getting that chance to know his older brother. The family is probably having the time of their lives all being together again.

He married his sweetheart Myrna Roundy whom he referred to fondly as Tilly on June 1, 1956 in the Manti LDS Temple. Dad’s favorite story to tell was when he saw mom for the first time. He walked into the chapel and there was this beautiful young girl playing the organ. He talked about how shy he was and he wondered how he was ever going to get up enough nerve to talk to her. But I don’t think he had to worry too much about if she would like him if he had known what Mom was thinking because Mom said, she remembers this tall, gorgeous hunk with thick black hair walking in and that she just about fell off the organ seat. They both liked what they saw and obviously Dad must have gotten over his shyness because they were married for 54 years. Mom said he was a true gentleman from San Francisco and kept himself immaculate his whole life. If mom did not iron the crease in his pants just right she would have to do it again. It was that important to him to look his very best. As a matter of fact he would ask his grandson’s if they were born in a barn if they came into the house and had not removed their hats.

They have 5 wonderful children. Robyn, Phillip, David, Colette and Linda who are all married and have supplied them with 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Dad graduated from BYU with an Industrial Engineering degree. Not able to find work here they headed off to California where he worked at Lockheed Martin for five years. Because the aircraft industry decline he was laid off. He then went to work for Kennecott Copper first in the offices and then later as a supervisor over the trains and shovels. This work was hard and sometimes cold and wet. Dave remembers dad would come home and his boots would be soaked and Dave would take them and warm them up in the oven so they would be dry the next day when Dad had to go to work. Dad would get home and his feet would be so sore that he would have Colette get on one foot and Linda on the other to massage his feet for at least an hour. Now mind you that is how long the girls said they had to do it. If Dad was here we just might find out how long it really was. Once again a company was cutting back and had many layoffs. Dad was one of the last groups to go. He hated losing his job with them. He had worked for them for 21 years. He then went to work for the LDS Church Security where he got to rub elbows with the general authorities and the Prophet, transporting them in golf carts. Pres. Hinckley was the prophet at that time and would always bring dad a chocolate after their Thursday meetings. Dad told us that one time after a priesthood session Pres. Hinckley asked Dad if his talk was okay. Dad so enjoyed being around them and retired after 10 years. His last job was for his son, Phillip, doing model work at Design Dental Ceramics. Dad was an employee that you could always count on. He prided himself in his work. After Dad was finished working, his work area was so clean that if you hadn’t seen him come in you would of swore he hadn’t even come into work that day. And the man was never late. Matter of fact all the family knew that if you arrived anywhere 15 minutes early in Dad’s eyes you were considered late.

Because Dad was so punctual and accurate he was called many times to be the ward and stake clerk. They said they never had to worry if they had to refer back to Dad records because he always got down everything word for word. And that his penmanship was so easy to read. Too bad he didn’t pass that trait down to some of his grandsons. He was also a very good home teacher and took that calling to heart trying very hard to never miss a month.

Dad was a hard worker and passed that down to his kids. Phil remembers he would even check him and Dave out of school early on a Friday to do yard work at his parent’s house to help them out.  Payment was Pepsi in a bottle after they were done. And a Pepsi has never tasted as good as it did then. There were trips cutting wood in Kamas for the winter which Colette remembers being really hard work but it was fun to be as a family. And then there was the mandatory yard work, which to the sadness of the grandchildren has been passed down through his children. Though no one can mow the lawn like dad, you can ask his neighbors, there was not even a leaf left on it if he could help it. It was a well-manicured lawn. It is raining today and I’m sure it is just Dad wanting his yard watered! Dad was still mowing that lawn just a month ago and sometimes more than once a day if mom didn’t catch him. Dad also gave blood.  Now I’m not talking about at the blood drive. This is when he was so willing to help us build our homes. Dad and Mom with the help of her brother and Dad had built the home that they live in now. They were grateful for the wonderful area that they were able to raise their kids in. There were so many good families that meant so much to them and still do. So it was always so good to have Dad’s knowledge when it came to our homes. But if he was going to help any of us he would say I’m going to go give blood. He was so willing all the time to help us and moved many of us several times. Even one long haul moving Linda and Eddie to Phoenix. He crammed them and mom in the cab of Dad’s old brown truck and drove all through the night.

His legacy was his family and you knew nothing was more important to him than that. He left many wonderful family memories.

Top of the list was all the vacations. There was the trip back to St. Paul, Michigan where the family went to see Uncle Paul and Aunt Eileen’s family. Uncle Paul was sick at that time so Dad wanted to go on the tour of the brewery. So he took his family and Aunt Eileen and her kids and they went; in came Dad with two women and 11 children. You can imagine that was quite the site to see but even more surprising to the tour guide was when he asked Dad where he was from and Dad said Utah. Most of the vacations were camping and boating to Flaming Gorge, Fish Lake or Red Fish Lake. This was not only his family but his sister’s family. Joyce’s husband had suffered with MS and was bedridden. So dad and mom always included them. There were fishing trips in the blue boat that belonged to his parents that was named the “BoNana”. Robyn said that there was the fishing trips where Beau and Dad would take just the girls which meant no fishing for them because they were always so busy baiting the hooks and taking the fish off the hooks because all the girls would do was scream. Dad always said he thought it was always so unfair that Kathy only wanted to sunbath yet she was the one that would catch the most fish. There were also the picnics in the park in Provo canyon where Dad never forgot the wax paper for the kids to use to slide down the slide. Making it one fast ride and putting a smile on Dad’s face. I think all of Joyce’s kids were grateful that Dad was their second Dad. And so were his kids because of all the good times they shared.

On the weekends they would pack up the five kids and head one weekend down to Provo to spend with his family and then the next weekend they would pack up the kids again and head up north to Wellsville to spend time with their Mom’s family. This gave his kids a wonderful closeness with both families and great memories with their cousins.

After years of using the boat only for fishing the kids wanted to learn how to ski. So Dad and Mom purchased a new boat with more horsepower so they could learn to ski. Or should I say most of them. Robyn and Linda never got the hang of it but both said Dad was so very patient with them. Coming back time and time again until they said they had had enough. Those who did learn to ski always preferred Dad as the driver because he did it the best.

Grand kids had their sweet memories loving the rides Grandpa would give them in the wheelbarrow, and at dinner getting wet because Grandpa was spitting water through the gap in his teeth. They loved getting to have treats of M-n-M’s, Pepsi, ice cream and cookie dough which were Grandpa’s favorites; making them now some of their favorites too.

The Hospice Nurse, Joe told us that you can say anything about someone as long as afterwards you say bless their little heart. Well Dad after giving this talk and telling all these stories about you…Bless your little heart!

Dad as Dave put it last night his pillar of strength is gone and we all feel that way. You will be greatly missed. We will miss your hugs and how you always smelled so good, but we are so grateful that you didn’t have to suffer any longer. We are sure that you are up there enjoying a large bowl of ice cream and listening to Polka music that you loved so much. And all the family dogs are surrounding you because they all knew you loved them so much.

         

Till we see you again, we send our love,

Your family

 

 Immediately after we made the drive through the snow up to the cemetery the sons, son-in-laws and a few grandsons carried their Dad and Grandpa to his final burial place.

My Uncle Kelly dedicated his grave...

 And before we knew it the funeral plans were coming to an end. We spent some time surrounding his casket talking with all our families and then it was time to go. Plus it was FREEZING and we all were soaking wet. Its amazing how something so hard as burying your Husband, Dad and Grandpa can bring a family that much closer and make you appreciate those loved ones around you even more. I think the hardest part to this all is watching my Dad lose his Dad. My Grandpa was seriously his strength and a great example to help my Dad become the great man he is today. Together they could do and fix ANYTHING!

I am just glad we were able to be there and support him through this emotional day. We were missing two brothers and their families but it was still good to have some of our family together this day. Thanks to Nana Rothe for watching my boys and my sisters kids so we could enjoy the funeral without chasing kids around.

 This is a day that won't be forgotten any time soon but more importantly I will always remember the sweet memories I shared with my Grandpa. There are only two things in my life so far that my own Dad hasn't been able to do for me that I was lucky enough to have my Grandpa take his place... one baptizing me and the other was him being my witness during my wedding sealing. I couldn't have asked for a better Grandpa! My last memory of talking with my Grandpa was when my Dad and I went to the hospital to visit him 2 weeks before he passed away. Not much was understood through his mumbling words that day but the most important ones I heard. The last words from my Grandpa's mouth that I heard was "I Love You" as I gave him a hug goodbye. Never have those 3 words been remembered so sweetly until now.

Until we meet again, Grandpa, we love you!!