Amy's Thoughts on her lovely Grandad
Grandad is not the kind of person you can easily
forget, he’s loud and funny and incredibly happy. I have so many memories of
Grandad and Grandma. Grandad used to do this thing where he’d sneak up on
you and yell in an army officer voice ‘what are you doing?’ as a joke, I’m
sure I’ll have heart problems when I’m older now. Grandad is a very good
‘tickler’ I’m sure my cousins/siblings will agree with me on that one.
We
were close me and Grandad, we had lost of trips out including ‘the fat
giraffe’ a little shop in Padiham, they made the best cheesecake in the
world, downed it in one (well tried to)!!
We had lots of days out,
including In April, I got really interested in my family’s history so we
went around finding out where they came from. A little bit of what makes me
me. In 2010 we went out again doing some more family history.
When
Grandad was diagnosed with cancer, it was a bit of a shock. Grandad was so
strong, he never got ill.
But in the years he never looked really any
different apart from the occasional wee-bag attached to his foot. As I live
in France it’s easier to see the difference in people over time, and when I
came back at summer time, I noticed he’d lost a lot of weight and he was
bald. One thing that never changed, was his attitude. He was so positive
about life, he never complained about anything, I think that’s what helped
him to get this far, he’s done so well. I had a brilliant day out with him
and Cynthia in August, and I saw him at Christmas time which is the most
important to me.
Grandad’s presence is like taking a dozen happy pills,
he’s ALWAYS smiling, and I mean ALWAYS.
His positive attitude has kept
him alive. Even on when he was in hospital and I spoke to him on the
phone, I was in such a state I’m surprised he could understand me but he was
so calm and confident, and when I asked him how he was he immediately
said ‘’yep yep I’m fine, full of beans, just full of the shakes, my
cornflakes go EVERYWHERE’’ I was laughing through the tears.
I know my
Grandad didn’t study hard at school and get the best job with loads of
money, but he was happy and that’s the most important thing, he always said
try and do something you want to do. It’s a lot more fun.
When I first
found out that Grandad died, it didn’t hit me, I was thinking ‘oh well at
least he’s at peace now’ never really dawned on me that i’d never see him
again, until I spoke to Dad, and then the tears were never ending. He’s been
such a great Grandad to me, to all of us. And he will always be remembered
as a kind, funny and very happy man.
Love you Grandad x
A Year on...
We gathered where we scattered his ashes with a view of the Arches where Frank grew up in Whalley and planted daffodils and tulips.
Amy was with us virtually by smartphone, and she wanted to say a few words:
This is going to be just a short word on my Grandad Frank, the happiest man I've ever known.
It's been a year since he died, I've yet to go back and experience life without him seeing as I live in France, but I miss seeing him pop up on skype, him e-mailing me because I'd send him a sneaky email whilst at school.
I know he's gone but to all of us he never left.
We miss you. Xxxxx
