Grandpa Seaver

My Grandpa Seaver passed away Sunday afternoon.  I was feeling sorry for myself that I wasn't with my family during this tender time.  I was feeling guilty that I haven't seen him in almost a year now.  I was crying to Jake that I thought I had more time and I was planning on seeing him in only 12 days.  Upset and unsettled I decided to go look on my computer for photos of my Grandpa.  During this process I realized that even though I wasn't with my Grandpa today in this single moment, he's been with me through so many important moments my whole life.  Yes, I wish I was with him today, or yesterday, or last week.  But he's been with me for the past 29 years.  I have a whole lifetime of loving memories to remember him by.  I hope he knows how much he means to me and our entire family.  We had a tender family moment on my birthday this year - he gave Jami a blessing before one of her procedures and it was a sweet time.  I am grateful for technology (Facetime) that allowed me to be with them.  He has spent his time on this earth fulfilling his priesthood responsibilities and helping bring his family unto Christ.  I have a firm testimony that through the sealing ordinances of the temple I will be with my Grandpa again.

Please pray for my Grandma.  I think it's hard for my dad and his siblings to lose a parent, but I can't imagine what Grandma is going through right now.  Nor the days/weeks/months to come.  They have been together since they were kids.  They were married for over 64 years!

Some Memories....
I love my Grandpa.  He made me feel so special and important.  I think that most of his family feels the same way.  I think that's a real talent of his.  When he's talking to you, he's really listening to you and giving you his full attention.

Grandpa had the best laugh.  A single corny joke (those were the jokes he liked best) would be rewarded with a full-volume and all-encompassing laugh.  I think I heard that wonderful sound every single time I saw my Grandpa.

I remember the first time I heard the term "corny jokes" was from Grandpa.  He told me that a true Seaver appreciates the corny jokes.  As a little kid I envisioned jokes about ears of corn, but as I got older I grew to understand what that really meant - and the corniest jokes are the best kind!

Grandpa LOVES pie.  It's not a family party without pie.  But he only likes two kinds of pie: hot pie and cold pie!  (see, corny!)

A common Grandpa quote: "it will feel better when it quits hurting."

One time Grandpa told me that his arm was hurting really bad.  He lifted his arm a few inches off the arm rest of the couch and said "see I can only lift it this high."  Then he said "I used to be able to lift it this high" while he lifted his arm way up to the ceiling.  haha!  (are you seeing the wonderful corniness that is the Seaver Sense of Humor?)

I remember sitting in their living room and watching reruns of Star Trek with Grandpa.  Then he'd let us go play computer games on whatever new computer he was building (all while we were dressed in some of Grandma and Grandpa's old clothes and accessories).

I love talking science and engineering with Grandpa.  He was always ready to "talk shop" and I was so impressed at the depth of his knowledge.  I would talk about some new technology that I was studying and Grandpa already knew all the ins and outs of it.  He was always learning and he taught me so many things.  I know where my mechanical engineering brain came from (he'd probably say "I'd like it back now").

My Grandpa rocked the Bolo Ties and western shirts with pearl buttons!

Grandma Seaver is so consistent at sending cards for birthdays, anniversaries, and even get well cards if someone falls down the stairs and breaks their arm (hypothetically, of course).  She is so on top of things and the cards arrive a week before the holiday.  Sometimes she sends me cards that are hilarious and a bit "questionable" - I can just imagine her blushing in the aisle as she read them and laughed out loud (she is the most adorable blusher - is that a word?).  Anyways, she often will send me packages with newspaper clipping or magazine articles that she knows I will enjoy.  And occasionally she's sent me a package with decorations she thought I would like that she doesn't have room for anymore (but technically that's on the DL, so shhh, don't tell my siblings.  But I think I'm the only grandchild that is overly attached to Halloween, so I don't think there was much competition for them.  Their loss - my wonderful gain!)  She is so thoughtful!!!  Well, thank goodness for her kindness.  Every time we received one of these things in the mail, I would call them to tell them how much I enjoyed the cards/jokes/articles/decorations/recipes/books/thoughts/etc.  Both Grandma and Grandpa would get on the phone to talk with me.  They would ask me about my girls (they are avid readers of this blog and I was always impressed with how well they really knew my girls).  Then we would chat about what was going on in our lives.  I often got to hear some wonderful stories from their past (though they sometimes disagreed on the details of said events, haha!  I guess that happens if you've been married for over 64 years!)  And they always told me how proud they were of me.  Oh how I loved these phone calls!  Sometimes we would chat for almost an hour!!!  Even though I haven't lived close to them for a long time, I felt like I was sitting in their living room on the couch while Grandpa was in the arm chair rocking back and forth and Grandma was in the kitchen cutting up something for us to eat.  And every phone call ends with Grandma saying "Love you, be sweet."

Thankfully I have had a few of these phone calls this year and the last one was just a few weeks ago.  I really am proud of my Grandpa and I hope that I live my life so when we meet again he will be proud of me too.  Love you, Grandpa, be sweet.

Some Photos....
The day that Grandpa Seaver blessed me:

My wedding day (oh, I guess it's Jake's wedding day too).  I remember right after we got sealed I gave Jake a hug, my parents a hug, Jake's parents a hug, then I went over and gave Grandma and Grandpa a huge hug.  Such a blessing to be with your family in the sealing room of the temple:

When Jake and I graduated from BYU:

Thanksgiving 2005 (see I was telling the truth about the pie):

I know I have shared many of my memories, but Jake loves my Grandpa too.  They were family BBQ buddies.  I was usually off chasing some 2 foot version of myself while Jake would sit and hang out with Grandpa.  They talked about aerospace, marketing, future of computers, sci fi, engines, machinery - basically everything awesome - with a little Grandpaly advice to fill in the gaps!

Many Christmases together:

Scarlett's Blessing Day:

Mother's Day with baby Scarlett:

Scarlett's 1st bday:

Manti temple (before James left on his mission):

Blessing the Twirls:

Unfortunately I don't have digital photos of most events prior to 2008 (yet, my goal is to get them scanned in...someday).  Lucky for James though, since most of his major life events occured after that year (eagle court of honor, HS graduation, mission farewell, mission homecoming, marriage, etc) so I have plenty of photos of James with Grandma and Grandpa:

Jake photobombing - he kind of looks like Grandpa's shoulder angel (devil??)

Jake jumped in Jami's wheelchair and challenged Grandpa to a race!

Team Jami!!!!

Since my grandparents got married when they were 5 years old (or something like that) they couldn't afford a wedding reception.  So for their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2011 we threw them a huge celebration - complete with a wedding cake!

For their anniversary party I collected photos and made a family video that captured all the generations they created - 6 Kids, 31 Grandkids, and 45+ Great-Grandkids:

This was the 60th Anniversary BBQ (yes, there was pie)

This video is James was telling a funny math joke (It's hard to follow on this video with the wind and outdoor noises).  But Grandpa always has the best one-liners (look at the last ten seconds).

This was our family reunion in 2004 - look at what their love created:

All the kids and all their spouses:

James Orland, James Carl, and James Vernon

These are other photos I have of Grandpa with some of his other grandkids (those are my cousin's set set of identical twin girls)

A few years ago I was really into family history.  My Grandma sent me a huge binder full of family history stories.  I scanned in every. single. page. and made a family website so everyone could have access to these wonderful histories.  It's been several years since I've updated it, and a few of the features don't work properly, but you can still download the personal history that Grandpa wrote about his own life and Grandma's life.  Found on www.seaverfamily.com.  The backwards "2" logo was the family brand they used on the cattle farm growing up (my dad has some graphic stories about branding cattle if you're ever in the mood).

This is the forward my Grandpa wrote for the family history binder they sent me:

Having survived some very difficult times in out lives Betty and I have often pondered where the strength comes from. We freely admit the influence of the LDS Church and what ever we write, say, or do will certainly reflect these values. Our testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is one of our most valuable possessions. My mother and father taught me much beginning even long before I can remember. I was born late in Mom and Dad’s life and only remember them in their mature years. Dad never took me to church, but I knew him as an honest moral man, willing to help his fellow man when needed. He lived the golden rule. Mother attended church very little in my memory, but I remember her to be a devout Christian who loved her family very much. Betty also had great values instilled in her by her parents, grandparents, and other ancestors. These Judeo-Christian values are as much a part of who we are as anything I can think of. We all shared many inspirational stories with us in years passed about our parents and other ancestors. These should become part of our recorded family heritage before too many of these stories die with us and become lost forever. I also freely admit that Betty has had a most positive and beneficial effect on my life and of our family, and know many of you have had like experiences with people in your lives. It would be beneficial to share these with our family, both present and future. We encourage each of you to write and share with all of our family. As you add stories from your spouse’s family, and your personal thoughts, this book can become of much value to all of our family, especially your children and grandchildren for generations to come. I do not expect this collection of stories to win the Nobel Prize, but I do hope they will bless the lives of our family.

Here is "Grandpa's Great Gospel Principles"

I'm grateful for my Grandpa and the time we got to spend together on this earth.  Love you, be sweet.