Goodnight, old man
A bit of sad news at headquarters today: My grandfather died over the weekend. It wasn’t a surprise — his health had been failing for the last year or so, and everyone was preparing for the inevitable — but of course it’s still hard when it happens.
I’m flying down to the homestead in Lake Elsinore, Calif., for a few days. That’s where I grew up, and where my mom grew up, and where my late grandfather grew up (and where his father grew up). Grandpa was 81, had numerous children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and was for decades a fixture of Lake Elsinore’s downtown business district. Everyone knew ol’ John Merrifield, always willing to lend you a hand, do you a favor, or give you a loan. He was a terrible businessman but a great person. The people he personally helped over the years must number in the thousands.
So no “Snide Remarks” today. Some of the regularly scheduled merriment might also be forgone this week, what with the traveling and the mourning and such. Actually, no — not mourning. Grandpa lived a long, full life, was at peace with himself, and is certainly better off now than he was three days ago. We’re sorry to see him go, of course, but the family gathering will be to celebrate his life, not rend our clothes and weep and sit amongst the ashes, as productive as that sounds.
In the meantime, here’s a column I wrote back in 1998 after my grandmother died and Grandpa remarried. Grandpa would want you to enjoy it, and then possibly also to explain the jokes to him.
I love you, Grandpa!
Grandpa and my nephew, Logan, inspect one another earlier this year.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:59 am
I’m very sorry for your loss, Eric. I hope you enjoy your time with your family and that you are all able share your many happy memories of him.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 am
Eric, I am sorry for your loss. I have been a dispatcher at Brother’s Towing for six-and-a-half years, and had the pleasure of working with your grandfather up until he retired a few months ago. I was the one working Saturday night who got the call and then passed the news on to the rest of us who had the pleasure of working with him.
I came across your blog while doing a search, trying to find an article that I saw him with several years ago. This article was a nicely written one talking about John and how he was involved in pretty much everything down here in Elsinore.
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:53 am
I’m sorry for your loss, and very glad you had such a wonderful grandpa.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 am
I’m sorry for your loss.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:26 am
I’m so sad for you, Eric. Your grandfather sounds like he was a wonderful human being. I hope you enjoy seeing your family. We’ll miss you while you’re gone!
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:42 am
Be strong, Eric. I’m praying for you and yours.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:43 am
I’m glad that you can take this time and appreciate the long life he lived and the happiness he shared. I offer my best wishes to you and your family.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 am
Condolences.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
I’m sorry for your loss.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 am
Condolences from me as well, and I think it needs to be said that the picture is one of the top-5 most adorable things I’ve ever seen.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:24 am
I’m so sorry for your loss, wish I could trade my ex-con grandpa for one like yours.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss.
He sounds like a most excellent person.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
That was a lovely tribute, Eric. You and your family have my condolences.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Condolences to you and your family, Eric. It sounds like your grandfather led a full, happy life with many people who loved him.
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
So sorry for your loss, Eric. I’m glad that you are able to be with your family during this time- your grandpa sounds like a very loved person.
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
all my deepest codolences to you Eric. your grandad sounded like a smashing bloke. keep you chin up bud!
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
My best to your family and you. I suggest you publish a eulogy not only for your own therapeutic purposes but also because I’d love to know his story. And although we’re in a “reverence free” zone, I think it would be appropriate.
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I’d like to add my condolences, as well as state my shock at how many people seem to be losing grandparents this weekend. You, of course, as well as Obama (his grandmother died – I wonder if that will get him sympathy votes from undecideds, and how he feels about the prospect) and my husband’s grandfather died early Saturday morning. Sad week.
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Both of my grandfathers had already passed on before I was born so I never got to know them and have always thought it would have been nice to know them. I am sorry for your loss and hope your memories of your grandpa bring you lots of good memories.
Being a grandpa myself, I love the stories I can tell people about my granddaughter, the only one so far.
2009 will bring me 3 new grandbabies, one in February, March and April. I need to get in my grandpa mode and make the memories they have of me good ones.
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Add mine to the pile of condolences. Glad to hear he had such a rich life worth celebrating.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
“Everyone knew ol’ John Merrifield, always willing to lend you a hand, do you a favor, or give you a loan. He was a terrible businessman but a great person. The people he personally helped over the years must number in the thousands”…. So very true. His whole life was spent serving others. I always said he would literally give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. I rewrote the words to his favorite boy scout song “Johnny Rebeck” and the chorus goes like this:
Oh, Mr. John Merrifield, You were surely great.
You always served your fellowman with lots of love, not hate.
Now all your neighbors, strangers, your friends and family
Have had our lives blessed very much. You’ve shown us how to be.
I just hope to be able to live up to his legacy of service to our fellowman.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Sorry to hear of your loss, Eric. Keep your chin up.
November 4th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Like memikeyounot, I lost both of my grandfathers before I was born. Although I never knew these men, I always felt a vague sense of loss.
I’m glad that you and your family have such wonderful memories of your grandad and that you are able to celebrate his life.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:46 am
My condolences, Eric.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
My prayers are with you. I’m sorry for your loss, but it sounds like you were really lucky to have him as your grandpa. My grandpa, or gramps, as we grandchildren called him, was a bit like your grandpa. I’m just grateful to have known him and had such a great relationship with him. This might sound odd, but the best part of funerals is that you get a chance to remember all of the great times that you had!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I’m sorry for your loss Eric. If you are any reflection of your grandfather than we lost a great man this weekend.
November 5th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Sorry for your loss.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
We send our love. And let us know if you need us to water your plants. . . or feed your goldfish.