In Memory of Roy Leon Smith

June 28th marked a sad day for us...Pawpaw, Ron's grandfather, passed away.  He had been in the hospital for a few weeks with health issues and we all knew he was not in the best of health.  Yet, it came as a shock to receive the call that he had passed away a little after 5a.m. on Monday, June 28th.  Although he was my grandfather by marriage, never once did he make me feel like I was not a part of the family.  After all, he was the only grandfather alive for both Ron and I; he was also the only great-grandfather that Zachary and Zane ever really knew.  Words cannot explain how much he really meant to all of us and we are so sad to have lost such a great man in our family!  I wrote a poem that came to me after he passed and I am posting it as a tribute to Pawpaw.  The poem sums him up like no other words could describe.  Rest in Peace, Pawpaw.

A Man called Pawpaw

There is a great man

I call Pawpaw and friend..

He had the scowl of a bear,

but a love without end.

His nickname was Kraut

that he rightfully earned

His sweetheart was Addie,

and for her, he yearned..

Many years ago,

they tied the knot.

Then he served in the war

and for freedom he fought.

Together they raised

3 wonderful boys,

he taught them about life

and the meaning of joys.

He taught them to be

honest and true,

but the very best thing

he really did do,

was to live as an example

for his boys to see,

and of Butch, Ronnie and Jerry,

he was proud of all three.

As the years passed

his family grew,

with the addition of 'daughters'

he already knew,

that his boys would leave home

to start families of their own,

to share their seeds of love

that he had sown.

But he became pawpaw

with the birth of little Ron,

then Jennifer, Brian, and Michael

but the list goes on...

Jeremy and Barbara would

finish the crew...

with all these grandbabies

time really flew...

Next thing you know

great-grandkids were born,

creating this big family of

whom he adorned.

Before he knew it

Father Time had marched in,

grey hair and wrinkles appeared

where none had been.

Along came aches and pains

as his body grew old,

while he tried to be

strong and bold.

But like people in the future

as well as the past,

we know that this body

won't forever last.

He finally decided

that his family was strong,

and for his Heavenly Father

he very much longed.

So with one last breath

he departed this life,

leaving his loving family

and beautiful wife.

Forever we will remember

this wonderful man,

a man I call Pawpaw,

a man I call friend!

by Stacy Smith