Grandpa Jones

My Grandpa Jones passed away this weekend and I will be going to his funeral on Saturday. Grandpa was a great man. Someone said that he somehow fit 150 years of living into 82 years and I think it's so true. He was an extremely talented, intelligent man full of integrity. I have many memories of him, all of which make me smile.
1. He used to tease me about my cats when I was little. He once painted my kitten's nose pink with a paintbrush. He also convinced me that the garage door opener let my cat out from several hundred miles away.
2. He always made breakfast for us when we visited. I think my dad got that trait from him.
3. I remember helping him chase a stray cow back into pasture. He was in the truck, I was standing on the road with absolutely no idea what I would do if a cow came charging toward me.
4. He knew a tremendous amount about his ancestors and the area they settled.
5. I loved visiting his woodshop. I still have a wooden outline of my hand when I was 5, plus a miniature rocking chair and a beautiful rocking chair he gave us for our wedding. I asked him to make me a chair before I met Logan and they asked if I was announcing something. (A rocking chair is the traditional wedding gift from my grandparents.)
6. He always wanted me to drive the boat and snowmobiles. I was scared to ride the snowmobile on my own, so he told me he'd ride with me. A bit into our drive I felt the snowmobile surge and start going much faster. My 70-something grandpa had jumped off the back of the snowmobile so I'd be driving it alone!
7. Logan always remembers when I was getting ready at my grandparents house and my grandpa thought I was taking too long he said to my dad, "Evan, you tell that girl to shake a leg!"
8. Whenever I'd travel through I'd stop for a little while to visit Grandma and Grandpa. He would always update me on the cousins and then offer a couple of "pops" for the road and walk me to my car.
9. My grandparents came to my reception, which I know was quite a sacrifice to drive so far in the car when it wasn't terribly comfortable. That always meant a lot to me.
10. I was so glad to go to lunch with him a few times as he made trips to Salt Lake to the doctor with my parents. In his little ways he let me know that he was proud of me and the choices that I'd made.

The 4 generations of Jones boys. These are the only ones out of LOTS of grandkids and great-grandkids. (My grandpa, dad, brother, and nephews.)
Taken on one of my vists awhile back.