God Speed, Speed.

I can't believe it, time rolls by so quickly. It has already been a week since we buried one of the greatest men I have ever known.
Before I was born my Mom was married to my brothers Dad. They divorced, Mom remarried, I was born and then my sister. Luckily for my sister and I my Mom kept a good relationship with her ex husbands family. That family took my sister and I in and loved us like we were their own blood. They certainly didn't have to.
Grandma Fritz was one of my favorite people and to this day I aspire to be the kind of loving, giving, accepting person she was. Grandpa Speed was a great man, he served in world war 2 after he was already married and already a father. He came back to the states ran a farm and later his own car company. As I kid I thought GMC stood for Gulley Motor Company. It was at that car dealership one Easter Gramps had a give away that included a huge Easter basket and the largest stuffed rabbit I have ever seen in my life. That rabbit was taller than a little me was. Probably a good 5 feet or so. Well one day while at my Grandma Bower's house there was a knock at the door. That knock was for my, it was Grandpa Speed delivering that huge stuffed rabbit. The rabbit I was never entered to win. Favortism? Maybe, after all I wasn't blood related so it was perfectly legal for me to win. That rabbit was named Harvey and became my best friend for several years. I had no secrets that Harvey didn't know.
That was the kind of man Gramps was. He took in several grand kids over the years when there parents were unable to care for them for whatever reason. There house was a refuge for many a stray teenager over the years. He and Grandma Fritz were amazing people.
When I learned of Gramps death I cried of course but not from sadness. He lived 91 years on this earth, 21 of them without his beloved Fritz. I cried tears of joy that he and Grandma would now be reunited in heaven. Two Friday's ago heaven became a better place. Rest in peace Gramps.

PS I promise to locate a picture of Harvey and I and post it.