Remembering people number 2

Grandpa Lemon
Grandpa loved all of us no matter what mistakes we made. My sister and I would take turns every summer going to grandpa and grandma's for a spell. Sometimes we would hang out at their house and sometimes they took us on a vacation. The only vacations we got as kids were the ones the grandparents took us on. Grandpa could tell the best stories of years past. We all loved sitting and listening. Some of the members of the family never took the time to listen until he was on his death bed and then they had the notation to show up at his house with a video camera wanting to tape a story. He turned them down. Grandpa had cancer off and on throughout his adult life. I think the first time he had it was when my dad was born. He may have had it before then, but I think it was said that he was in the hospital the same time grandma was. He had lots of treatment and lots of organs and parts removed. I always remember grandpa and grandma's big gardens and flowers. My grandpa would work all day outside. He loved sitting on his porch and watch the birds. he always had a bird book near by to see what it was that was eating from his feeder. I think grandpa moved grandma to Boone when Corrisa was 1 1/2 years old. he knew that his life was coming to an end and he wanted her to be taken care of. I am thinking it was after they moved that they found the cancer again. There was nothing they could do because his body couldn't do treatments anymore. I took Corrisa over to there apartment everyday. She loved her great grandpa and him and grandma loved her. I remember when grandpa couldn't walk anymore dad having somebody help load him into the truck to go to the Ledges and see the deer. It was almost a nightly thing. Grandpa so enjoyed the outdoors. It got to the point that if grandpa wasn't in his room when I arrived I didn't stay. I didn't want to remember him in any other way except the active old guy that he was. i didn't want to see the wasted and dead looking body he had become. If grandpa was in bed when Corrisa and I would arrive she would go right into that bedroom and climb in bed with him. I am not sure what took place in that room, but Corrisa seemed to enjoy it. I remember the night he passed. Dad called and said that grandpa wanted us all over there and for us to order pizza. When I got to their apartment grandpa wasn't even conscious. he had labored breathing and was soon going to leave us. My brothers, sister, and I sat in the living room while dad, mom, and grandma gave grandpa a sponge bath. he died when all three had place a hand on him. Mom said that is what he wanted was the family with him. The funeral home came over right away to get his body. We all waited in the kitchen so that we couldn't see them haul the body out. Corrisa was in the room with grandpa the whole time and not one of us knew it. She was laying on top of his body until the funeral home man took her off. Then she snuck back in and watched them load him up. She never had nightmares about it. For that I am thankful. Grandpa died a few months before I had Briley. He so wanted to be there for his first great grandson. He was just sure that was what I was having because he already had 5 great granddaughter. he tried as hard as he could to make. The night Briley was born when he came out the lights in the room flickered. I joked with mom that it was grandpa making sure that i knew he was in the room watching his great grandson. Grandpa always stressed to us that we are family and we have to love each other no matter what. He never put me down for having two kids before I was married. He was disappointed I am sure, but he never told me so. Grandpa was always the backbone in the family. There was never bickering when he was around. And all holidays were spent as a family. I loved my grandpa and wish my children could have meet him. Corrisa was so young she doesn't even remember him. Grandma has a lot of videos of him, but she won't let anybody watch because she thinks they will get ruined. I hope someday to get them and have a professional make copies for each of us. I remember growing up that grandpa was the tallest person in our family. My friends refereed to Grandpa and Grandma Lemon as the tall grandpa and short grandma. Grandpa was only 5'11 and grandma was only 4'8. None of us kids got to be as tall as grandpa, but everybody says that my baby brother Josh looks just like him. I love all the memories I have of Grandpa and I love the fact that we were able to spend so much time with them. I know that lots of kids never get that opportunity. My husband doesn't have the memories like me of his grandparents. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for the influence of my Grandpa Lemon. I love you grandpa.