Grandad

Yesterday was Grandad's funeral.  There is a lot I want to say, so I'm dividing this into three posts.  This first post is the condensed list of thoughts and memories we gave to Pastor Bob Rutherford for the funeral service. ❤

Kenneth E. Switzer

• Qualities he will be remembered for:  Kind, selfless, humble, hardworking, quiet but friendly, father figure and mentor to many, great with kids, sharp memory and a good story teller, loved others well, tenderhearted, helpful, dependable, strength of spirit!
• Things he loved and enjoyed:  Working with horses (spent years as a cowboy and horse trainer), reading, country dancing, walking with friends, playing dominoes, all things chocolate, getting to know people at Virginia’s Café, babysitting his beloved grandkids and his first great-grandson, Jace.
• When asked about parenting advice, Kenneth responded: “Be consistent in discipline, and be sure they know you love them!”
• We are all thankful Kenneth lived a long, good life and that he is no longer suffering from the effects of the stroke he had in March.  And we rejoice because he knew Jesus as his Savior and is with Him in heaven today!  Saved & baptized at Lincoln Street Baptist Church in Dalhart, Texas.

❤ Chalkboard by Rachael Parrish ❤

• Memories and Stories:  Kenneth volunteered regularly at the school where LaJo was a Preschool teacher.  LaNell, (Kenneth’s wife), said one of his favorite memories was when a student with special needs and disabilities who struggled to speak his own thoughts rather than simply repeating others made huge progress and surprised everyone by saying: “Come on, Grandad!” while they were playing together.
• LaJo, (daughter), said he baked his famous chocolate chip cookies for her to share at the beginning of each school year.  This year was the first year he was unable to do that, and one of the coaches who hadn’t heard about Grandad’s stroke said, “Hey, it’s the first day of school; where’s Grandad’s cookies?”
• Maxine, (daughter), wrote her Dad a heartfelt letter on his last Father’s Day here on earth that ended with:  “We are all so blessed to have you as our Dad, Grandad, Great Grandad, and Husband, and we have benefited so much from your wisdom and steadfast character… EVERYONE who knows you loves you. Throughout my whole life, I have always been so proud of you.  It is my great honor to be your daughter and to call you my Daddy.  I love you more than you could ever know!”
• Lindsey, (oldest granddaughter), remembers asking her Grandad what inspired him to get a dog several years back, and he said he read somewhere that people with dogs live longer.  His wife jokingly asked him, “Well, how long do you wanna live!?” and he quickly and emphatically responded, “Till I die!”  That determined strength of spirit was Lindsey’s favorite thing about him – he stayed active and sharp, and he loved people well and made the most of his time with everyone here on earth!!
• Rachael, (granddaughter), wrote thanking her Grandad for the part he played in her life and saying that she was thankful her children got the opportunity to know him and she hoped her young boys would grow up to be like him!
• A special childhood memory for Lindsey and Rachael is when Grandad surprised them with a decorated Christmas tree the year they lived in an apartment and didn’t think they would get to celebrate their favorite holiday properly.
• Blake, (grandson), talked about how he and Grandad used to spend time at the railroad tracks watching the trains.  Grandad thought Blake might someday work for the railroad, but he became a doctor instead.
• Emily, (youngest granddaughter), posted on Wednesday: “Heaven gained the best man today, but I lost my first best friend!”  When Emily was in fifth grade she didn’t like the school lunches, so Grandad took her cheese pizzas EVERY day and ate lunch with her.
• Audie (Kenneth’s nephew who he helped raise) said he had a strong feeling that he and his brothers and sister should come for a visit last summer.  So the DeBusk kids surprised Kenneth and LaNell by coming in from Colorado, Nebraska, and Nevada to spend a long weekend with their “second parents” in Oklahoma!
• During that visit, Bryce, (nephew), told Kenneth that he didn't know anyone who had done it better as a man, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He told him he was "like John Wayne" in his eyes, a larger-than-life kind of hero figure.  Kenneth was very touched and the moment felt sacred and special to the family.  Bryce credited Grandad and Babah for helping raise Audie and build him up to be a good man.  He said he wanted to say those things to them because sometimes people wait until it's too late, and you can't tell someone how much they've meant to you after they die.

 The hospital bed where he spent a lot of the past 5 months is empty now, and he is no longer suffering. ❤

• Kenneth was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.  LaNell and the kids and grandkids are deeply thankful for everyone who visited Kenneth and let him know how much they cared for and loved him!  We are especially grateful for the faithful friendship of Buster, Virginia, and Randi Kaye!
• Randi Kaye (good friend who helped care for him in his final days) commented that she would really miss his smile, saying she was sad for our family, but not sad for him because he is in a better place now!

Kenneth Eugene Switzer ❤ July 27, 1929 - August 21, 2019

Bob read every item on the above list, as well as Mom's Father's Day letter from this year and my entire 2009 tribute blog post.  (That was unexpected and made me pretty nervous a few times, but several people said that they felt like they really got to know him better, so I think it was good.)  

They played this song (Somewhere My Love by Red Steagall, the only song Babah specifically requested, one they used to dance the two-step to) during the funeral slideshow, and I loved it.  So to close this post, here is a shorter slideshow I created yesterday with many of the same photos we used during the service, plus a few from yesterday. ❤