Grandpa Gibbons

My 80 year old grandpa died this past week in Utah. He was my dad's dad, and the person on that side of the family who brought the Gospel into our lives. He served the country in the Air Force during the Berlin Airlift and in Korea, and then served the Lord as a missionary with my grandma in countries from Kenya to Yugoslavia to Mexico. He is the only grandpa I ever knew since my mom's dad died when I was only one or two.

He was very excited that I was in medical school so that I could help him and grandma with their problems as they age. I even joked with him on the phone not too long ago that I wouldn't charge them very much to evaluate them during the next time we were together for the holidays.

It can be hard at times to keep in touch often with our older relatives as we are separated by time, distance, and generations. But it's not hard to see how they touch our lives by all they've done so that we as their descendants could have what we do. I am grateful to him for his teachings about the Savior, for his example, for the time he spent helping my dad grow when he was younger.

I hope to measure up to his stature. I hope that some day I can look back and be proud of what I have done with his name - the Gibbons' name.

Until we meet again Grandpa,

Steve