Mon 3 Aug 2009
When I learned that my Grandfather Smith had passed away today, I was both happy and sad. I was happy that he was free from the body that had simply grown too old and did not allow him to do all the things that his mind and his spirit wanted him to be able to do. Grandfather Smith always had a low tolerance for inactivity. He was constantly doing something, going somewhere, fixing this or that….that is unless the Utah Jazz were playing! If a game was on the TV, Grandpa was in his favorite chair avidly watching the game. His To Do List was put on hold for a little while.
I am sad that he has passed because his example was one that I always looked up to. Now it is something that I will always remember and work to pass on. Grandpa always made time for me as I was growing up. One of my earliest memories of my Grandfather Smith is him taking me to the Drug Store in down town Soda Springs, sitting at the counter and getting me a 5 cent Sprite soda from the soda fountain. I don’t remember what we talked about and that doesn’t really matter to me now. I just enjoy the warm feelings that memory brings back to me.
Grandpa had a nickname, “Magic” is what everyone called him. He could fix anything and was often called on to do just that! He would get a big kick out of being able to fix something that was giving other people fits! He’d just chuckle, point out what was wrong and fix it. All the while he had a big smile on his face. There is a picture of Grandpa on the wall in his home that has him in overalls, safety glasses on is head, fixing something. That is how I remember him a lot of the time.
Grandpa and Grandma used to live in a house that I still call “The Brown House”. I remember it being absolutely huge, but everything is huge to little boys! They always had apples on hand, big red juicy ones that were so good! Best of all, they had a pool table in the basement! Grandpa taught me how to shoot pool on that table, something that I’m sure caused him no end of laughter as I wasn’t very good! I enjoyed watching my father, uncle and grandfather play. Now that was entertainment!
Things weren’t always rosy though! One Christmas in that old brown house, I became fascinated with the fireplace. I discovered that if you take a poker and leave it in the fire for long enough, it would get red hot. That red hot poker got me in trouble as I then discovered that it melted right through the back of Grandpa’s leather chair. I’m sure my parents were very embarrassed; my grandmother scolded me then gave me a hug. My grandfather, well he put me to work. I unloaded what I thought were 100’s of bags of apples and hauled them to a cooler. Grandpa then sat me on his knee and told me that work would always keep a growing boy out of trouble! That is something that is true to this day.
As I grew older, got married and had children of my own, Grandfather delighted in being a Great Grandfather. He introduced my twin sons to ice cream while they were still little infants, and laughed the whole time! He loved spending time with our kids, and it showed. On one of our last visits to see him, he took our family out to Riverside Hot Springs. He was content to just sit at one of the picnic tables and watch the kids play. Afterwards, we went on a drive and listened while he told us about the history of the valley, about where he grew up and lived. My children remember that very well.
So, Grandpa Magic you have left me with many wonderful memories of times that I have spent with you. You have taught me many valuable lessons that I try to teach my children so that your legacy is passed on for generations to come. I will forever cherish the fact that you sealed my wife and I for time and all eternity. I thank you for being the man that you were, for the example that you set. Most of all, I thank you for my own Father, the son you raised. He is my greatest example, someone that I look up to and strive to be like. Enjoy the rest you have now from your earthly cares, but get to work quickly! I expect that there are some things around that need fixing. We’ll see you again down the road.
Love,
James Smith







