Grandpa's Funeral

My Grandpa passed away last week. All of the siblings flew out to Arizona over the weekend to attend his funeral and celebrate his life. Grandpa Coats was my Dad's stepfather, but he raised my Dad from a young age and was always a real father to him. Grandpa was a marine who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and these marines came to honor his grave with a beautiful flag ceremony. It was very emotional thinking about how much he and all the other men who served in World War II sacrificed for our country. It makes me sad that pretty soon this generation will be gone.

The services were beautiful. My Dad gave the eulogy. There have been so many funerals in our family over the past few years and somehow Dad has become the unofficial eulogy giver. He's really good at it though! I want him to write me a eulogy so I can enjoy it while I am living!

Grandpa was a all-american athlete in baseball and football. He looked so handsome in his uniform. Grandma said what attracted her to him was "he was the most masculine man I ever met."

I know Grandpa is pleased to have Grandpa back with her. He really hadn't been the same since her death in 2009. Grandpa was a healthy fairly active 89 year old man and we all thought he had 10 years left in him. Grandma always gets her way though. =) My uncle Phil died from a two year battle with cancer just a week before Grandpa. My cousin Susan said the funnest thing. She said when her Dad, uncle Phil got up to heaven Grandma said "I said BILL, not PHIL!" That's so Grandma. 

All seven of us kids were able to attend (no kids/spouses.) As much as we missed them... it was so fun for the old gang to be together. The last time it was just us kids was right before my wedding. Mom insisted on renting a full sized van, just like old times!

The boys

The girls

Here are our cousins the Betz, minus Uncle Phil (who died a week previous) and their oldest daughter Erin who passed a way a few years ago from a brain tumor. Over the past 5 years my Dad's sister Kathi has lost her daughter, husband, a brother, a sister and both her parents.  unbelievable, right? She says that she has a lot of guardian angels watching over her and for that she is grateful.

My Mom's mother lives in Arizona as well, so it was fun to stop by and visit her.