he called me Awesome
How do you say goodbye to a legend?
My grandpa passed away in January, just a few days before his 90th birthday. He was one of the most special and influential people in my life.
I don’t know how or when it started, but his nickname for me was “Awesome.” And once Rooney came along, she was “Awesome #2.” But he was the original Awesome, for sure.
I have wanted to post this for months, but the words never seemed like enough. They still don’t, but I visited his grave last weekend and felt it was time to post.
My grandpa once told me his life motto was “To thine own self be true.” After he passed, my cousin found a piece of paper with the quote in his handwriting. I think it says a lot about him. He was an honest, good man. One of a kind. Reading his obituary makes this even more apparent.
He loved dogs, Diet Mountain Dew, lemonade, a big meal, a good deal, and his family. His four children, 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren meant the world to him. His love and commitment to his wife — my nana — was a huge blessing in my life. He still looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. Their marriage of nearly 70 years was something truly special, and their legacy will live on through those of us who were lucky enough to witness it.
He was known to say “When we’re rich, we’ll have two butters at the table.” He was a businessman and built a great life for his family, and he was always rich with love, wisdom, laughter (the best laugh) and kindness.
His favorite movie was The Sting, and if you didn’t love it, too, he told you to watch it again because you didn’t “get it.” We watched it as a family after his funeral.
My favorite memories with my grandpa:
He attended all my music and sporting events, including my college softball games, where he noticed a young man (Eric) watching from the outfield and was sure to ask me who he was. This was before we dated, yet somehow he could tell there was something special about him.
He loved to save money (he didn’t smoke and disliked smoking but once bought a carton of cigarettes because it was a good deal). He even owned a firetruck because he got a good deal on it.
Our family trip to Disney World over New Year’s 1997. My first trip to Disney. We flew out of Omaha to save money. See above.
House shopping in Okoboji for the family lake house — and his vision for turning a rundown shack into my favorite place in the whole world.
He liked my idea of building a loft in the Okoboji house and implemented it — but I can’t tell you how many times I have hit my head on that ceiling!
Grotewolds Go West — that time we rented a charter bus to take us on an epic week-long family road trip
He drove Eric and I two hours to the airport for our honeymoon
Hanging out in his farm office (it has a distinct smell) and learning that he named the dogs he bred after his grandchildren. (This was great until they told us “Ben died,” and of course everyone assumed they meant my cousin, but, thankfully, they didn’t.)
He was a nondrinker but opened his mouth for a shot of sake at a hibachi grill for my sister’s college graduation party.
And my absolute favorite memory of my grandpa was when he let me navigate our family road trip from Iowa to Maine. I was in the back seat with the map and he trusted me to tell him which way to go. Maybe he knew exactly where he was going, but he sure made me feel like a million bucks!
This is the last Christmas card I got from my grandpa. After he passed I had a necklace made with his special nickname for me in his handwriting. I’ll treasure it forever.
I miss hearing his voice. His laugh. Touching his hands. Through my grief I have gratitude for his life and know I am so lucky to be part of his family tree.
Miss you, Grandpa!