The End of a Generation

I got the news Friday afternoon that My Grandpa Johnson passed away. He has been in and out of the hospital since the last time I saw him last June. He wanted to stay at his home in Cottonwood, Arizona as long as he could. But after another fall at home, he had a painful back injury and he was back in the hospital. His last days were very difficult, and he finally let go, with my Aunt and cousins by his side.

Dale Johnson would have celebrated his 80th birthday in March. He outlived my Grandma, Rose Johnson, by about 2 years. I know that they are together again as they were surely soulmates, always together, through the thick and the thin.

Not only is this the end of a generation, but it is the end of a very special part of my life. I was very close to both my Grandparents. I will forever cherish the happy memories and good times. From my younger years while they were still in Escondido, to many, many visits to see them in Cottonwood, we always stayed close.

I will miss going going for walks down to the river behind the house, it was so peaceful and "natural". We would go swimming in the summers, fishing in the Fall. I will miss listening to my Grandpa tell stories about growing up in Wisconsin on a dairy farm. But mostly I liked to hear his stories about bar fights, or how "back then" he could bribe the building inspector to sign off the inspection with a bottle of whiskey.....classic stuff.

I am looking forward to the small family service this week in Arizona. It will be the first time in a long time that a lot of us will be together, a good reason to spend a little time together, and be grateful that we had him in our lives as long as we did, he enriched us all.

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