Jerry Hughes

Death is very difficult…any way you slice it. While I continue to feel extremely lucky to have gotten to know my grandfather so well, especially in the most recent 15 years of my “adult” life (and I use this term very loosely), I still cannot help but miss him. Is this selfish and making it all about me? Everyone says “no,” but something inside me keeps saying “yes”. Selfish or not, the following is an incomplete list of things I do miss - and will continue to miss - about my wonderful Grandfather – affectionately known by many of us as Taid:

- I miss his thirst for knowledge
- I miss his humility
- I miss the way he could be gentle and yet firm at the same time
- I miss him asking questions and really listening to the answer
- I miss his goofy grin when we did something we were not supposed to
- I miss his passion for improvement
- I miss his desire for fairness
- I miss never knowing what would make him laugh
- I miss how much he loved kids
- I miss watching him invest in people
- I miss our games of ping-pong
- I miss his commitment to being a better husband
- I miss how he learned to celebrate differences
- I miss his sincere interest in family and friends
- I miss his love of fruit and ice cream
- I miss his kindness and generosity
- I miss the importance he placed on forgiveness
- I miss his desire to always be growing in his faith
- I miss the games he would make up for us to play
- I miss his love of competition
- I miss him being excited to show me his latest workout
- I miss his stubbornness
- I miss the way his face would light up when he saw someone he knew
- I miss the opportunity to continue to get to know him better
- And last but not least, I will miss the role model he was (and will continue to be) for my life



Nana,

Remembering all the wonderful things about Taid is also a testament to you because from my limited experience, it seems that with so many amazing individuals, you find an amazing spouse there beside them, enriching them, supporting them, and helping them over the years become who God intended them to be - often in many little ways that are not seen or appreciated. While possessing so many of the same qualities as Taid, you also have many of your own unique attributes that came together with, and complemented, Taid’s to create one “Hall of Fame” worthy marriage team. For as long as I can remember I have watched you be an extraordinary wife and friend – and for 62 years of that, you should be congratulated. But not just congratulated ... you need to be thanked by all of us who love and miss Taid, because who he was and became is to your credit perhaps as much as his.

The conclusion I have come to is this - remembering and missing all the things about Taid is a way of celebrating everything that he was and everything he meant to so many people. So, family and friends, what do you miss? Please post/comment any stories, memories, or comments about Taid that you'd like to share...