My grandfather passed away early this morning. He was 85 and lived a long and full life. He was a WWII veteran (Pelileu and Saipan) and proud, active VFW member. After he left the Army he spent most of his adult life working construction. He operated heavy equipment and helped build roads and highways all over from Texas to Montana. Grandpa never was a bullet caster but he got me into shooting, hunting, and reloading when I was a kid. He was an avid outdoorsman and physically active - he had a boxing bag hung outside his house well into his late 60's. He had a pacemaker installed a few years back which slowed him down a bit. He was disgusted when he found out they had to put the pacemaker near his shoulder. The placement of the pacemaker prevented him from shooting any rifles other than .22's, on account of the recoil. After he stopped shooting, my mom told him he should sell his guns. He smartly replied that even though he couldn't shoot them, he just liked having them around.
My parents divorced when I was young and grandpa was my father figure, teaching me all about work ethics, cars, tools, and the other important things a young boy needs. I am thankful that I had the fortune to grow up with him as a major presence in my life. He was a big part of my life and will be sorely missed.
Grandpa in high school.
Grandpa helping the VFW at our local cemetary.
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Originally Posted by MT Gianni
