Community Chat

[sfnative]

One of the reasons I ask is that Grandfathers seems to get lost in the family dynamic so often.  Grandmothers can most times be seen at the forefront, but many times not so with Grandfathers.

Share a surprising memory you have from one or both of your Grandfathers.

There are going to be some pretty interesting Grandfathers out there!

~Rebecca

[sfnative]

My paternal Grandfather came to the United States due to the Bolshevik Revolution in the Russias. He was an officer in the Russian Royal Navy.  He and a number of men mutinied and urged civilians to make plans to get on a ship to save their lives.  The Bolsheviks had already ki**ed his family (great grandparents and great uncle) and taken their business away from them.  The ship's first stop was in Shanghai, then onto Manila.

My grandfather had to spend 10 years in the Philipines before the U.S. would let him in.  He made a wonderful life for his family. (Am leaving a lot out here.)

Fast forwad to 1970, when my Grandfather's God son was getting married.  It was a huge affair.  Being a God Father of the groom is a big thing in the Russian Orthodox church, so there were several roles my Grandfather had to play.  At the reception, the 2 God Fathers stood before the kneeling bride and groom.  There was a brief ceremony in which bread was broken and wine taken in small sips.  At the close, the party began.  This is where I became so surprised.

This wedding was quite large and posh.  Lots of money had been spent on it, which meant that an orchestra had been hired.  As my husband and I stood at the side, all members of the family, including the God parents, gathered in the middle of this huge hall and the orchestra began to play a Russian folk dances.  Oh, my, but I've never ever seen my Grandfather dance like he did that evening.  He was graceful, engaging and the best dancer out there!  I knew he was a terrific ballroom dancer, but was so proud to see him dance Russian folk dances.  To say I was surprised is an understatement.  It brought tears to my eyes.  (I kept telling my husband, "Papau never said a thing about Russian folks dances and I wish he would have taught some to us!!!)

[RedTop]

I spent a lot of time at my paternal grandfathers side doing chores on the farm.  I hugged my grandpa often and remember the distinct smell of his salty sweat and pipe tobacco.  The last time I hugged my grandpa was days before he was taken to the hospital, where he died.  I hugged him and said I love you grandpa, and he said I love you too Redtop.  That was 45 years ago, and yet I remember it like it happened last week, because my grandpa had never actually said those words to me before; he always said yea in response.    

[LilacTree]

Unfortunately, I never had a grandfather.  They both died long before I was born.

[LTT1]

@sfnative@RedTop

My maternal grandfather... bounced me on his knee and said a little "ditty"  "Cooooool" ?  He also had a plastic egg magic trick... he made it disappear

My paternal granfather... he put a silver "bundt-cake" type dish on his head... this was a Christmas present to my grandmother!

[Laura14]

One of my grandfathers grew up in a haunted farm house in Jersey and loved to tell us the ghost stories every night after dinner.

[151949]

My paternal grandfather was a policeman and was shot and killed when my dad was only 7 so no memories of him. My dad barely remembered him.

My maternal grandfather was a wonderful, happy, cheery man. We spent a lot of time when I was a child at my maternal grandparents home and he was so wonderful to us. Do i have A memory - not really - but I do have thousands and thpousands of wonderful memories of him. I was blessed with great parents and grandparents.

[jaxs mom]

I'm not sure what would qualify as surprising. I only knew my materal grandfather and I'd say I spent more time one on one time with him than my grandmother. I have a lot of memories of him and keep a photo of him in my bedroom. I've always been sad that he wasn't around to see his great grandchildren. I don't know, maybe that he gave me the stamps from the letters he wrote home to my grandmother during WWII when he was stationed in the Pacific. 

My parental grandfather died before I was born due to long term complications from his injuries in WWII. He was lucky he managed to live more than 20 years after though. Even if it was in a wheel chair. I did find a newpaper article about a band he was in. 

[qualitygal]

I only got to enjoy my maternal grandfather. He was a fireman and when he started, it was driven by horses. (It, being the fire engine, such as it was at that time.)

[June222]

No memories at all. I never met any relatives from either side of my family.  Not a cousin...not an aunt. Family was not important to my parents...and grudges caused distance.