On Wednesday evening, September 14, my grandfather Donald Conrad left this life to be with his greatest love, Doris. Whatever happens after this life, I know he's there with Mimi and they're both happier for it. Poppa gave so much to all of us and never really desired nor accepted credit for it. This meant that, I think, we all took his generosity a bit for granted at times. We probably took him for granted at times, generally, but I hope he knew we all loved him very much and that the love he and Mimi shared is an example of how I want to live.

If you want to honor him, raise a terrible beer (Budweiser, Coors, or Olympia if you can find it) and remember a man who worked hard all his life and loved another person so completely that you could still feel the hurt of his loss whenever you were in his presence, years later.

Mimi passed away in 2003 and he desperately missed her. He was sure he'd go soon, to follow on her heels, and kept up the talk about how he was just waiting around. I remember in 2007 when I was in Kansas for a bit and spending a good bit of time with him, he would send me out shopping for him to buy things he didn't need. We were reading the Sunday paper once and he saw a laptop special in the Best Buy ad and decided he needed a new computer. He asked me what he should get and then picked a better one. I said, "That's good, but you don't really need all that. This cheaper one would be more than enough for you."

He shook his head and matter of factly said, "Well, I won't use it much and I want whoever winds up getting it after I'm gone to have a good one."

Poppa, I love you, but that was bloody depressing.

Goodbye, Poppa. I know Mom read you my letter, I hope you understood I wish I could've been there. I meant every word, and I don't think I want that laptop. It's out of date, by now, anyway. :)


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