I love you, Grampa!

My grampa Gene Hutchins lived a long, wild, and adventurous life that sadly came to its close last night. I was lucky enough to know him after he had settled down a little, and was more interested in knowing his family than trekking off on adventures unknown.

While Grammy was always the first to greet us at the door whenever we'd drive up to Prescott from Phoenix as kids, Grampa was always in his easy chair waiting to give us peppermint candies (Melanie liked the butterscotch...yuck). We'd sit on his knees while he gave us hugs and asked us how old we were. "Seven?! I thought you were four!"

He'd let us play on his "pogo stick" (the endearing term he gave his walking stick) whenever we wanted, and would sometimes spin yarns for us about his travels. I will never forget the great yoo-hoo bird of Africa who saved him from the elephant stampede, or the ultra, razor-thin trip wire he and his fellow camper booby trapped their campsite with at night to keep to savage cannibals at bay while they slept. Of course, I thought they were all true, making Grampa my hero. He was larger than life.

Grammy and Grampa took me along with them in their motor home when I was about four on an adventure across America. We went to the Tennessee World's Fair, and even drove to Canada. I remember making a doll and lots of clothes for her on the sewing machine in the back of the motor home while Grampa drove us to our next destination. I only remember snippets here and there from our trip, but I do remember how much fun I had being the only child for a while and having my Grammy and Grampa all to my self! What a treat!

After growing up a bit, Grampa thought it was pretty cool that I had joined the Army, and he loved hearing stories about my time stationed in Kuwait. I think he liked living vicariously through me a little, and kept telling me I'd make a great FBI agent or maybe a writer for television. I think maybe he wanted to do those things, though, because I hadn't really shown any particular interest in those fields. He was also constantly asking to see my tattoo. While he "disapproved" I think he was secretly jealous!

Grampa had a sense of humor like no other. He loved a good clean joke, risque as they may be, and was notorious for ruining pictures by flipping the bird. A trait he passed on to his future generations!

I merit Grampa with passing on to me his amazing sense of humor, his love of adventure and discovery, and the knowledge that I can get whatever it is I want out of my own life. We can do anything, and we should never let anything get in the way of living life to its fullest. Also, hide money everywhere! Haha!

I am so grateful to have been a part of his life, and I know he is looking down on me and my family from his place in the Celestial Kingdom. I see him whenever I look at my daughter, and I know that he will forever be a part of me. I love you forever, Grampa!