My Grampy is gone....

JULY 1, 1926--JANUARY 18, 2008

Jasper Jay Herford

BERRIEN SPRINGS — Jasper Jay Herford , 81, of Berrien Springs died Friday night, Jan. 18, 2008, at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the Allred Funeral Home, 212 S. Main St., Berrien Springs. Inurnment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Messages for the family may be left online at http://www.allredfuneralhome.com./ Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Jay ’s name may do so to the Amazing Facts Bible Ministry. Jay was born July 1, 1926, in Zanesfield, Ohio, the son of Ernest and Dana Mae (Allmon) Herford . He proudly served his country with the United States Army during World War II. He was assigned to the 62nd Field Hospital at Rhineau, Germany, where he was a surgical technician in the surgical supply section. Following the war, on Oct. 4, 1947, he married JoAnn Shuler in Elkhart, Ind., and they recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He had been employed as manager for Spitzer Specialties in Sawyer before his retirement. Jay was a longtime member of the Berrien Springs Village Seventh-day Adventist Church. He also was a member of the American Legion StoverWagner Post 85 in Berrien Springs. In his leisure time, he enjoyed woodworking. He especially enjoyed visiting with his friends, and he would often be seen around town in the local restaurants and the hardware store talking and discussing current events with his fellow townspeople. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, JoAnn; three daughters — Susan, Gretchen and Wende; one son, Darrel; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one sister, Judy ; and one brother, Ernest “Fred” Herford of Berrien Springs. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mabel Hile.

I miss him. I still can't believe he is gone or grasp what really happened that day. Even though I bitched and moaned about all the crap Lar and I were going through, he was still my Grampy. And his actions then were only recent ones. Short lived as well. His final days were peaceful. His death with very unexpected to us and im still in shock.
I miss him. I will always miss him. His chuckle. His crisp, blue eyes. Our talks. Our projects. His Jokes. His phrases. Dinner. Breakfast chats. Him buzzing up town on his scooter. His organ music. His tomato garden in the summer. His hugs.
Everything.

This is why I have been absent for quite some time. Lar and I have had some major adjustments in our life. We moved back in with Grammy and now only keep an eye on my aunts place. I have to maintain the house as my grammy is just so lost now. I also have gone back to waitressing and maitre'd-ing a couple nights a week at a local restaurant. AND I have an internship as well. I really enjoy it and even though I miss my grampy--I'm glad I still have the memories.
There are so many. I hope I never forget any of them.