Grandfather's memories

Today is the anniversary of my grandfather's passing (my mother's father). I was lucky to have met all 4 of my grandparents and even 1 great grandmother. My grandfather was kind of crazy even before the Alzheimer's set in. He was always goofy with us kids, singing silly little rhymes (that were probably inappropriate for kids to hear - "I love to go swimming with bold-legged women and dive between their legs"), making jokes and funny faces. He was ALWAYS in a good mood even when he knew that something wasn't right about himself and he was deteriorating before our eyes. I never saw him angry and he never raised his voice. He played solitaire everyday and cheated most of the time but would never cop to it. We thought it was so funny.
He was in the Army, the Navy, he was in 2 wars, he was a firefighter, a security guard, a baseball coach, he never danced, he wasn't all that handy around the house, he would talk to anybody and everybody he ever met, he always washed the dishes for my grandmother, and he took the best care of her he knew how. He was one of 16 children, had 5 children of his own, had 14 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. He loved loved LOVED kids and they all loved him. Kids (and animals) were drawn to him. He could sit in his LazyBoy rocker chair with a baby all day long. He never got tired of playing with us kids either. He took us everywhere with him and in the car, he let us put in our latest tapes that I know he didn't want to hear again for the 800th time.

Over the years, he'd had more than 7 heart attacks, 2 strokes, and he had Alzheimers. He would tell us the same story over and over but each time he told it with the same affection and passion as he did just 5 minutes before. He couldn't remember who we were or where he was or how to do this or that (although sometimes I think he faked not knowing how to do things he didn't want to do or not remembering something he didn't care to remember - this made me giggle and I'm sure that's why he did it). He would get frustrated by things that should come so easy to him but wouldn't come at all anymore. Through all the trips to the hospital and the stay in the nursing home the thing I carry with me most is that he never lost his smile, he never lost his spunk, and he never lost that sparkle about him that made him who he was. My only regret is that he wasn't able to meet my son before he moved on. I know he would have loved it and my son would have benefitted from it. He was my Pap. He was everybody's Pap.