Our Children's Grandfather

The only Grandfather that our children knew was my Dad.

Our children did not know their paternal Grandfather. Bob was estranged from his Father after his Mother was divorced when he was in junior high. Bob doesn’t talk much about his Dad, but from what he has told me, I know he did not have a happy childhood when it came to relation-ship with his Dad. His Mother and Aunties, and sister, 9 years older, are the ones that raised him, with very little help from his Father. His Father never had a kind word to say to Bob, he “belittled” him and was not a nice man.

My Mother-in-law’s marriage was “arranged”, not a marriage she wanted. She was an abused wife, and her Mother didn’t want to “hear anything” about it. She didn’t get any support from her Mother, she was only interested that her daughters married men with a good job to support them. So, after her Mother and Father passed away, she finally felt free to be able to divorce. She said she didn’t “dare” leave him while her Mother was alive. Can you imagine being so intimated by your Mother that you would put up with an abusive husband!

When I was in the hospital after Dawn’s birth, his Father came in to see the baby. That and one time when he came around the house when she was about 6, are the only two times that he saw his Granddaughter. I believe that by the time the boys came along, he had passed away.

So, my Dad was the children’s Grandfather. He was a good Grandfather. I really wish that we lived closer to him, so that they could have spent more time with him. My nieces and nephews that lived close to the farm, spent a lot of time with my Dad, and I know how they cried when he died, they said that Grandpa was so good to them, and how much they loved him and how he loved them.

I’m re-posting the photo I posted the other day…I love this photo of my Dad with our boys. He did not hesitate to show his love to them, when we visited there and when he was here. He let them follow around him on the farm, like I did when I was little. He let them drive the tractor when they were older, something that city boys loved to do. He was good with our Grandson Skylar. When they visited us, he would sit on the porch visiting with the kids. One time I remember when he brought a brand new wagon that had wood side boards, along from Pennsylvania as a gift to Dawn. When Dawn was 2 months old, they came to Duluth to visit, and they went shopping and bought a crib for her, since we had her in a bassinet, he told me she would soon need a crib.

When he passed away, our daughter went to PA with me for the funeral. She always felt so close to him.

Our grandchildren, I believe, are very fortunate to have good Grandfathers. My husband is very good with our two grandchildren. Grandfather Soderberg is also very special...both are good at being "Grandpas".

I’m very thankful that our children were able to spend time and get to know their Pennsylvania Grandpa.