Good Morning,

First, I would like to thank everyone for sharing in this celebration for my Grandfather.

My Grandfather holds a special place in all of our hearts and although he will be missed, I'd like to think he is with us now smiling, and laughing as we share the memories that will keep him alive in our hearts. When I think of my Grandfather, the first thing I think of is his joke telling. Each time the grandchildren would visit, Pop-Pop always had a joke to share. What made the joke so funny was not the joke itself but my Grandfather's ability to laugh at his own jokes which made it fun for us all, even if some of us didn't get the punch line. He just had a way of including everyone in his kind of fun. For years, Pop-Pop would tease all the grandkids and ask them their name. One of the grandkids would respond. "My name is Buddy." And Pop would say "George, it is nice to meet you." And shake his hand. Of course, Buddy would say," My name isn't George, it's Buddy." And Pop-Pop would respond," Oh OK, George - I've got it straight now." By now, all of the grandkids are just giggling away which encouraged my Grandfather to continue. At one point, I think my brother began to believe his name was George not Buddy. He was around 20 when he realized his name wasn't George.

One of the most special memories I hold close in my heart is the New Years Eve bashes my grandparents held each year which quickly became a tradition. It was the time of year when the entire family would get together, and it was even more special when the gang from Florida could be there, too. All of the cousins spent hours in the basement listening to the music our Aunt Sue Ellen provided while sharing war stories of our grade school days. I think we will all remember the smell of kielbasa and sauerkraut simmering in the slow cooker and the moment when we crossed into the New Year together wearing silly hats and making tons of noise with our noise makers. And, who can ever forget waking up the next morning to an eggs, tomato and cheese breakfast Pop would make for us all.

Through his humor my Grandfather set the foundation for the close family ties we share today which has been carried down to his children, his grandchildren and now to his six great grandchildren. Even though there were miles between us, we always knew how close we were in his heat through his cards and special notes. No one could ask for a more generous Grandfather. He always found the means, even on his limited budget at the home to discreetly hand you a dollar bill.

When we visited my grandfather at the home, we witnessed his compassion and his thoughtfulness no matter where we toured, everyone said hello to "Charlie". His daily visits to the hospital were appreciated by all the patients. It was certainly evident by their smiles. He always brightened someone's day whether on a visit or at the nightly card game with the girls. So it is only natural that I envision my Grandfather being welcomed into heaven by his family, especially my Grandmother, and friends saying "Hello Charlie, We've been waiting for you. It's your turn to deal."