I just got this email from my brother who is a missionary over in Kiev, Ukraine. He wrote a tribute to our grandpa, "Pepaw". I thought it would give you an idea about how awesome my grandparents were. I am honestly a better person knowing them. I will miss them more that I could ever express...
A Tribute to Pepa
Pepa and Mema are my grandparents. My early memories of Pepa and Mema
come from summer vacations and Christmas holidays spent in the thriving
metropolis of Robards, Kentucky - population 569, according to the
internet. It seemed smaller back then. Pepa was the pastor of a small
country church in Robards. Pepa loved being a pastor and Pepa loved God. I
can still see Pepa standing in the pulpit of that small church preaching
the Christmas sermon about Jesus as the Baby in the manger and God's
gift of salvation to mankind. At the New Year's Eve service, Pepa would
preach about how this might be the year when Jesus would return and we
would watch the clock strike twelve. We then joined hands and sang "I'm
so glad I'm a part of the family of God." The clock was always very big
and made a loud ticking sound. Pepa loved to fix old clocks. The louder
they ticked, I think the more he liked them. When I would sleep on the
couch in his house I was sometimes scared by the many loud clocks that
ticked and tocked in the darkness. They seemed like something out of
the Twilight Zone, especially when they all chimed out together at
midnight. Pepa used to say that life is what happens while you are making
plans. I think he understood the nature of time. He appreciated each and
every day as a gift from God. Maybe that is why he liked clocks.
Pepa loved to hunt. He took me hunting for the very first time in a
snowy wood across the road from the parsonage in Gregory. We saw one
rabbit, I took one shot, and we had our lunch. Pepa said there wasn't much
left to eat, but is sure tasted good. Besty went hunting with us that
day. Betsy was Pepa's beagle. Maybe it wasn't Betsy, but one of the
beagles that came after Betsy. Pepa loved beagles. It seems like he always
had a beagle. I don't remember all their names, so I just think of them
all as Betsy. It seems to me that all beagles should be called Betsy. A
few times I went fishing with Pepa. Pepa loved to fish, especially for
bluegills. I preferred bass and pike. I never had the patience that
Pepa had to use worms and bobbers to catch those little fish. Pepa had a
lot of patience. I don't remember ever seeing him cross or angry, at
least not at me. I never heard him say a cross word to anybody. Pepa was a
very kind and gentle man. Even when Brenda and I ran in church or
didn't mind, Pepa was always patient. He was patient even when Brenda and I
stayed at Mema and Pepa's for what seemed like a whole summer. Mom and
Dad were on "vacation." Nine months later Tricia was born. We didn't
figure that out the connection till later. Every child should have a Pepa
and a Mema. They are a matching set like salt and pepper. They just go
together. I'll never forget their constant words of encouragement. "We
are so proud of you." "We pray for you every day." Finally, there was
Pepa's favorite saying of all: "How good can the good Lord be!" Pepa
loved his family and he loved me.
A few years ago I saw Pepa preach his last sermon to a handful of
people on a Sunday night. I don't know if anybody there will remember that
sermon, but I will never forget it. He was already quite forgetful, but
seemed to come alive when he stepped behind that pulpit. I saw Pepa for
the last time this summer. He was frail and needed a cane to walk. He
sometimes faded in and out of the conversation. Sometimes I had to
repeat the same answers to the same questions. I didn't mind. It was just
nice to be with him. He was still the same Pepa and he was my Pepa. Mema
and Pepa were in declining health and we knew that they would not be
with us for long. That doesn't make their departure any less painful even
though we know that we will see them again. Monday is Pepa's funeral. I
heard that they will drape his coffin with a Christian flag. He would
have liked that. Pepa never preached to thousands and he never wrote a
book, but he was the greatest preacher I have ever met. He showed the
love of Jesus to everyone – especially to me. I'm sorry if you were not
able to meet my Pepa. He would have liked you.
P.S.
Dear Pepa and Mema
I already miss you. I'm so glad that you are together again with Jesus
... and with Gayle. Please keep her company until the rest of us arrive.
I love you,
Todd
