Bumpa was quiet, he let Darling do the talking and would insert a joke here and there. He always sat in his chair and listened. I never ever heard him complain ever, not once. I don't know how I am his grandchild because complaining is one of my favorite things to do. He just did life and never expected anyone to help him. He worked so hard and was very successful but never bragged about it. He loved deeply, you just knew he loved you. Bumpa was the great one and set the example for the rest, I mean he lived to be 101 so he just gets the title. He was so Christlike and the gospel of Jesus Christ was very important to him. 
Zach asked me what my favorite memory I had of Bumpa was. I paused for a long time and Zach thought I had forgotten, but I was really thinking about it. I don't have a favorite memory with Bumpa, I have a favorite relationship with Bumpa. I am the second youngest grandchild and so I got the older years of Bumpa and Darling. I didn't get to ride in his plane and go on many adventures outside the house with him, but I learned so much from watching him. I said it before, but he let his loved ones shine. He was always so proud over the littlest accomplishments. He would always say, " well that's fantastic news babe!"
When I was pregnant with Lyle, Zach and I were throwing around names and I said "I really love Lyle" and I mean if you're reading this and know me even a little or have looked at literally the few Instagram posts I have posted through the years you should know that Bumpa's name is Lyle. Zach was like yeah that's a great name let's do it. My mom said you should tell Bumpa you're naming your baby after him and what not. I was weirdly nervous to tell him and was like is this a good idea, anyway I start telling him and start bawling, then everyone is the room starts to tear up, most likely out of embarrassment for me. I look at Bumpa and say we are going to name our baby Lyle and he looks down processing it and says, "I am honored" then quickly changed the subject so the focus was no longer on him. Lyle loves Bumpa and loves talking about the other Lyle. Whenever we would call my family and they were visiting Bumpa's house, he would always say, "you're at Bumpa's house?"
He loved my Darling, his sweet bride, so much. He took such great care of her. He would do everything and anything she asked without hesitation. She wanted it, it was done. She wanted to go shopping, she went shopping. She wanted water, she got water. It wasn't like hold on babe I'm in the middle of my favorite part of this John Wayne western, it was a right away kind of service. He was never dominant and never raised his voice at her or anybody for that matter. I can't even describe their love for each other in words, but the feeling around them was just love.
He started talking more about his Army experience to me when Zach joined. He was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio just like us. I was able to see the old hospital where he practiced dentistry. He told me one time he was wearing ear muffs and those were out of uniform and a policeman came up to him and told him he was out of uniform and he kind of said what are you going to do about it. The guy started blowing his whistle and yelled for the MP's and he ran through a hotel and lost them. He said I used to be a little full of myself back in the day, but I don't believe it.
My grandparents were class acts, I always say they are Richard and Emily Gilmore except nothing like them. They dressed nice and were classy people and that's about all the similarities. They lived a full happy life together with many adventures around the world. He had a plane and flew to many places. He was a dentist and would dress up in a suit everyday, change into his work clothes, then change back in his suit to go home. He also got dressed every single day down to his shoes, that right there deserves a noble peace prize in my opinion. I throw on a nightgown and Lyle says, "mom now that your dressed we can go play." He also ate Ego waffles for breakfast and drank Diet Coke and ate Hershey bars, his diet was goals.
I wasn't the best at calling him and again he was a tender man with not much to say, but everytime I called him and the conversation came to a close he would say, " I love you babe, thank you so much for calling." We are a lip kissing family and I kissed my Bumpa on the lips everytime I saw him, I mean I would say I stopped a year ago because of Covid and what not, but before that I would at least kiss him hello or good-bye and sometimes both. He never was like come over here and give me a big smooch and heck who knows if he even wanted me to do that, but that's just what you did. 
I really am so happy for his reunion with Darling, his daughter Ann, and so many other family members that I am sure greeted him into the life here after. I am sad for all of us left here on Earth, because even though he didn't want that spotlight, all of our spotlights were on him watching, taking notes, learning how to live life. Bumpa for the last couple of years would say," I don't know why I'm still here" but we all knew why. He was here for us, we weren't done learning from him and he was able to see so much of his posterity grow. I am so grateful for the relationship I had with Bumpa and how fortunate I am to have had him in my life for so long. I am also sure he is pretty sad to have left his favorite grandchild, me, behind but will be cheering for my family and me from the other side.
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