Grandpa
What I read at Grandpa's funeral
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. “ Genesis 3:19
I like the idea of my grandpa returning to the dirt. May sound strange but dirt is what I think of when I think of him.
I think of him running in wildly from the fields in his jean shorts and jumping into the pool- the dirt being washed away as he emerged from the water with those deep laugh lines dripping and jovial. I think of the smell of coffee mixed with dirt and diesel when I climbed into the cab of his big John Deere to see the world. I think of the dirt whipping its way over his fields before a big storm and the way he would run around preparing, then come inside dirty and tired and fall asleep in a ball next to the fireplace. I can feel the hum of the riding mower as he navigated in circles around the evergreens kicking up the dirt as he went. I think of the way he loved the dirt. Next to grandma -it was probably his first love. But dirt was only the catalyst for him to know he needed to be clean. He needed the water. He needed a Savior. Because he was a man with failures and flaws and he toiled the dirt but in the end the dirt didn’t love him back. And he knew that although he planted the seed someone bigger had to make it grow. The saying goes “whoever plants a seed believes in God” because what is a seed without the water? What is the dirt without the corn and beans to sprout from it? Who are we without Him? Just the dirt I guess.
He would weep when he talked about his Savior and if you were there you wept too. Because this man- tender hearted to his core, loved the One who made the seeds grow.
He loved us all well and in the best way he knew how. By pointing us to the One who formed us from the dirt.
I think the stories will make him a giant now and a legend.
Lloyd Frey.
Returned to the dirt, raised with his Savior, singing hymns bouncing along on something with a big motor, waiting for his bride to join him in the sweet by and by.
My favorite pic of me and Grandpa in the fields..look at that dirty hat. He always wore a ball cap. I can literally smell this memory.
Dancing with Grandma at my wedding...they didn't care where they were, if there was a good song, they were dancing.
We spent many spring breaks at their Florida trailer. Watching March Madness, going for bike rides, dinner at Yoder's. Some of the best memories my kids have with Great Grandpa
Max and Great Grandpa's first meeting
My Grandpa's hands with Max's baby hands
One of the few pics of Grandpa without a hat
Had to put Max in overalls for a pic with the OG farmer. I think he was calling him "farmer Max" that weekend. I just noticed I was wearing overalls in my fave pic of me and Grandpa above
My last pic of grandpa the weekend before he passed. We went to a BBQ at their home, he always laughed at Sam, Sam was shooting people with the squirt gun and Grandpa thought it was funny...didn't know this would be the last pic I took of him.
I mean....
Grandpa could sleep anywhere, chairs, ditches, hard floors....anywhere
Farm, Faith and Baseball forever
Bible time in Florida
Me and Grandpa
Meeting for the first time
Cereal with grandpa at the kitchen bar was the best
In their garden at the farm, found this after the tornado
Grandpa's speech at my wedding and of course the National Anthem which I don't remember giving permission for ...I do remember him asking to give the gospel presentation. Grandpa did what he wanted, it was his farm.
The more appropriate Doxology for Melissa's wedding. Grandpa would lead us in this before meals rather than praying