My Memories of Pa

My grandpa passed away last week and I am going to miss him so much. I am so proud to call him my grandpa and so thankful that I lived close to him for the past four years. Here are some of my favorite memories of "Pa":

• Pa loved going over to "the country." This little place along a dirt road in Arkansas will always be so special to me because of all the memories I have of Pa and Ma there.

I always thought it was neat that the "B" in the screen door that originally stood for Blevins (Ma's maiden name) also stood for Bobbitt (her married name). [More on that in a minute.]

This is a weather vane that Pa's grandfather had made. Pa's father died when Pa was young so he had to grow up quickly and help out with his four siblings. Pa made a replica of this weather vane that he put in the backyard in the house in Memphis.

Across the street from the house in the country, Pa built a cabin. He built it entirely out of materials that he found, I think the only thing he bought was the windows. He did everything himself, from drawing the plans, to framing the house, to laying the bricks for the chimney.

This is a picture of me in front of the cabin when I was eight. This was probably not long after Pa had finished building it. The chimney hadn't been built yet.

• Pa loved trains. This stemmed from the fact that, as a boy, he loved to watch the trains go through his hometown of Lexington, TN. He could make the sound of a train whistle with his mouth and hands and he would do it on demand to the delight of all the grandkids. Every time I see or hear a train I think about Pa.

Toy train in the window over at the country.

• Pa loved music, and had a large record collection. He liked to listen to music to relax. When I was over he would often come get me to listen to a song that had special meaning to him or that had some connection to something I was doing or had mentioned to him. He would often be so deeply touched by a song that it would bring tears to his eyes. My love of music is largely influenced by him.

Part of Pa's record collection

• Pa was a life long learner and was always reading a new book and had read many of his books several times. He also loved words. If ever he came across a word he didn't know he would go get his dictionary, look up the meaning and origin of the word, and share that information with you. He had a good sense of humor and loved a good pun. His laugh was infectious and could always make you smile. He loved stories by O'Henry and he read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol every year at Christmas. He also loved The Grinch, and I think one of his favorite lines was when they "carved the roast beast." He would laugh about that line every time!

• Pa had a signature picture that he always drew. It was a little pig made out of the letters O, M, 2 Ws, and a cursive "e". He taught all the grandkids how to draw it and I don't think I ever received a card or letter from him where he didn't draw the little pig after he signed his name.

• When we were little, Pa would give all the grandkids wheelbarrow rides, which were a blast! Another childhood memory I have is of Pa "popping" a book after he would finish reading it to us. Whenever I read a book to a little kid, I like to pop it at the end in his honor.

• Pa loved sports, especially University of Tennessee football. He would get so into watching a game that he wouldn't be able to sleep that night. Because of UT, he loved the color orange. He would have loved these orange flowers that were growing at the country this week.

• Saltine crackers, Fig Newtons, and orange circus peanut candy will always remind me of Pa. After he ate dessert, Pa would always eat a few saltine crackers "to get the sweet out." Pa also loved breakfast and woke up every morning to make it. Waking up at Ma and Pa's house meant waking up to the smell of bacon and coffee.

Some figs that Pa was growing.

• Pa was a hard worker. He loved working outside in the yard and growing things. He had a garden over in the country and when he wasn't able to keep that up any more, and even when it became hard for him to walk, he would still be out in his backyard in Memphis doing as much as he could.

Pa's tools.

Pa working by his cabin.

This rose bush had special meaning to Pa because he had grown it from a cutting from his grandmother's rosebush. It had not bloomed for a long time, but on the day of his funeral it had several beautiful blooms.

• Pa was good at fixing things. Once, Ma and I took a walk around their neighborhood and found an old chair left by the curb. We took it back to the house and Pa fixed it and then gave it to me. It holds a place of honor on my balcony.

• Pa worked as a banker downtown. He told the story of how he would park on the cobblestones down by the river and walk to his bank building every day. He knew all about downtown Memphis. Since I live close to downtown he knew a lot of the places that I drive by everyday. When crossing the bridge from Arkansas to Memphis he would always say about the skyline, "Isn't that beautiful?"

• After Pa retired he was the church treasurer for many years. As a kid, I can remember watching him carefully count the church money at the desk in his room. When he was finished, he would let us grandkids play with his adding machine, which I remember thinking was so cool!

Some pennies that Pa had rolled.

• Pa loved Harding. Because his family did not have much money he worked for a year after he graduated from high school to save up so he could attend Harding. When he was a student there he worked in the cafeteria (in the basement of Pattie Cobb dorm) to pay his way through. Pa met Ma at Harding. The story goes that, during chapel they had to sit alphabetically. His name, Bobbitt, was close to Ma's name, Blevins. In fact there was one seat between them. Pa arranged it so that he could switch seats with the person between them so he could sit by Ma, and history was made! He often talked about how much his years at Harding meant to him.
  

A picture of Pa and Ma at a banquet while they were at Harding (they're in front).

• Pa loved Ma. A few weeks before he died they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He was so proud of that and was determined to get Ma a special gift for this milestone. He bought her a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring. He took care of Ma in so many ways; he took her blood pressure everyday and wrote down the readings, he swept the kitchen floor every night. Even when his legs became weak and he could hardly walk himself, he would drop Ma off at the door before church and go get the car for Ma after church so she wouldn't have to walk across the parking lot. He was everything in the Biblical definition of a husband.

• Pa was a Christian example, "above reproach." He served the church as an elder for 40 years and was a servant in every sense of the word. He took his study of the Bible seriously and was constantly reading it and other books to help him in his study. He led by example, never pushy, but also never waivering or making excuses for what he believed to be true. He never missed any chance he had to gather at church and worship God. He wholeheartedly supported everything the church did. He left a strong foundation for his congregation and for his family.

There is so much more I could say, and what I have said does not begin to do justice to describe what an intelligent, funny, honest, humble man that Pa was. I am so thankful for the legacy that he has left our family and I will always treasure my memories with him.