Thought everyone would enjoy seeing our very own Kelly performing at a local nightspot in Roanoke. Click here to catch her "act". Love you Kell!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
From Danielle...
“Have you got a minute?”
Gene Waltrip, my granddaddy, was an amazing husband, father, and above all person. I think that everyone will agree when I say he is so dear to us and will be greatly missed by all of his loved ones. I would now like to share with you all some stories that demonstrate how he lived and how he taught us to live.
Out of the many audacious stories Granddaddy has shared with me about his childhood over the years this one is without a doubt my favorite:
It begins when Granddaddy and his brother, Uncle Lewis were teenagers living in Williamsburg. One evening they both had dates. However, before they were allowed to go out they needed to take a cow to the neighbor’s to be breed. So to save time they decided to take the back seat out of their father’s brand new car and load the cow into the car! After the cow was in the car the boys went to ask their dad for his permission to borrow the car. Their dad kind of laughed it off and told them “That’s impossible.” They responded with “Dad, we’ve already done it!” Needless to say by the end of the night the car was no longer brand new.
Now aside from this story being completely comical it also shows Granddaddy’s ingenuity and persistence. Granddaddy has always been a hard worker and very early learned the value of a dollar.
A more recent story that is equally as comical is the story about Granddaddy’s hearing aid:
One Halloween when the family was gathered at Vicki’s my dad and Uncle Kevin were wondering why Granddaddy couldn’t hear them. Well finally dad came up to Kevin and said “You know why Dad can’t hear us? Because he has run his hearing aid through the wash but he’s gonna keep wearing it anyway because he paid good money for it.”
Well Granddad never did like to buy anything new. He’s mess around with things until they eventually worked again and if that didn’t work maybe he would have traded or swapped it for something else. (Usually ending up with the better end of the deal!)
A short but very touching story happened just this Easter when Kelley, Davis and Vicki had come to visit their grandparents:
On Good Friday Kelly, Vicki and Davis spent sometime with the grandparents. As they were leaving Granddaddy asked Davis to “give him five”. Davis slapped his hand and walked out with Kelley and Vikki. As they were leaving Davis blew Granddaddy kisses. He blew some back to Davis and said “I’ll give you five.” Referring to the five kisses.
Granddaddy always said when his children called him for help with their little ones “You’ve just gotta love’em.” Granddaddy always gave lots of love to everyone. And when that was all he had to give he always had plenty.
Speaking of love…. Granddaddy was a man of many pastimes. He loved solving puzzles, like the peg board puzzle and playing family games like Balderdash, “socc- -the- logger -butch.” At our gatherings by the lake he and “the boys” would play horseshoes. He loved to dance the night away to Bill Haley and Glen Miller. He constantly trained and played with his black and tan coonhounds. He loved to email his family and watch baseball on his beloved laptop. He also loved boats and the water. My fondest memory of Granddaddy was when he visited Florida and he, dad and I all went out on a boat. He was so pleased to be out at sea. He also loved to share his experience by teaching his children. He would give my dad driving lessons and no matter what the weather was, snow, sleet, drizzle, he would always say “Whatever you do, don’t hit the brakes.” He loved to call Grandma “Possum Ears”. But most of all I think he loved to love.
He taught many people how to live and love with his huge, pure heart.
This quote described Granddaddy well:
“I will not wish the riches, nor the glow of greatness, but that wherever thou go, some weary heart shall gladden at thy smile, or shadowed life know sunshine for awhile. And so thy path shall be a track of light, like angel’s footsteps passing through the night.”
Just to end on a personal note-
Whenever I looked into granddaddy’s clear blue eyes, I knew I was home.
Gene Waltrip, my granddaddy, was an amazing husband, father, and above all person. I think that everyone will agree when I say he is so dear to us and will be greatly missed by all of his loved ones. I would now like to share with you all some stories that demonstrate how he lived and how he taught us to live.
Out of the many audacious stories Granddaddy has shared with me about his childhood over the years this one is without a doubt my favorite:
It begins when Granddaddy and his brother, Uncle Lewis were teenagers living in Williamsburg. One evening they both had dates. However, before they were allowed to go out they needed to take a cow to the neighbor’s to be breed. So to save time they decided to take the back seat out of their father’s brand new car and load the cow into the car! After the cow was in the car the boys went to ask their dad for his permission to borrow the car. Their dad kind of laughed it off and told them “That’s impossible.” They responded with “Dad, we’ve already done it!” Needless to say by the end of the night the car was no longer brand new.
Now aside from this story being completely comical it also shows Granddaddy’s ingenuity and persistence. Granddaddy has always been a hard worker and very early learned the value of a dollar.
A more recent story that is equally as comical is the story about Granddaddy’s hearing aid:
One Halloween when the family was gathered at Vicki’s my dad and Uncle Kevin were wondering why Granddaddy couldn’t hear them. Well finally dad came up to Kevin and said “You know why Dad can’t hear us? Because he has run his hearing aid through the wash but he’s gonna keep wearing it anyway because he paid good money for it.”
Well Granddad never did like to buy anything new. He’s mess around with things until they eventually worked again and if that didn’t work maybe he would have traded or swapped it for something else. (Usually ending up with the better end of the deal!)
A short but very touching story happened just this Easter when Kelley, Davis and Vicki had come to visit their grandparents:
On Good Friday Kelly, Vicki and Davis spent sometime with the grandparents. As they were leaving Granddaddy asked Davis to “give him five”. Davis slapped his hand and walked out with Kelley and Vikki. As they were leaving Davis blew Granddaddy kisses. He blew some back to Davis and said “I’ll give you five.” Referring to the five kisses.
Granddaddy always said when his children called him for help with their little ones “You’ve just gotta love’em.” Granddaddy always gave lots of love to everyone. And when that was all he had to give he always had plenty.
Speaking of love…. Granddaddy was a man of many pastimes. He loved solving puzzles, like the peg board puzzle and playing family games like Balderdash, “socc- -the- logger -butch.” At our gatherings by the lake he and “the boys” would play horseshoes. He loved to dance the night away to Bill Haley and Glen Miller. He constantly trained and played with his black and tan coonhounds. He loved to email his family and watch baseball on his beloved laptop. He also loved boats and the water. My fondest memory of Granddaddy was when he visited Florida and he, dad and I all went out on a boat. He was so pleased to be out at sea. He also loved to share his experience by teaching his children. He would give my dad driving lessons and no matter what the weather was, snow, sleet, drizzle, he would always say “Whatever you do, don’t hit the brakes.” He loved to call Grandma “Possum Ears”. But most of all I think he loved to love.
He taught many people how to live and love with his huge, pure heart.
This quote described Granddaddy well:
“I will not wish the riches, nor the glow of greatness, but that wherever thou go, some weary heart shall gladden at thy smile, or shadowed life know sunshine for awhile. And so thy path shall be a track of light, like angel’s footsteps passing through the night.”
Just to end on a personal note-
Whenever I looked into granddaddy’s clear blue eyes, I knew I was home.
In Memoriam
When I was a little girl, I thought my dad was the handsomest, smartest, nicest man in the world. As an adult, I still think so. My dad could fix anything - including dinner!- and if he couldn't physically get in there to fix it himself, he could sure tell YOU how to do it. He just understood how things worked. That was such a gift.
He was a silver-tongued salesman. Selling furniture, insurance and his ideas. He could cajole you into mowing his field (or buying a campground) (or cleaning his sailboat!) and have you believe it was more fun than anything else you could be doing.
He loved to play games and he wanted to win. The score-keeper better keep on her toes! Of course, we all knew Balderdash was his favorite. He could bluff and keep a straight face with the best of them (but we pretty much always knew which definition was his!).
A true sailor at heart (though he served in the Army), he always owned a boat of some sort - from "Gene's Dream" to the little sailboat that sits in the sideyard today. Some of my most memorable and fondest memories are of boating excursions. I especially remember the trip from Powhatan Creek down the inland water ways to Manteo, N.C. When we had to cross Hampton Roads (an international thoroughfare) and encountered waves that towered over our little 25-foot cabin cruiser, Dad instructed us to go below, put on our life jackets and sit tight. I can still see him as I looked up from the galley...calmly steering us through those dangerous waters and whistling as tho' he had no doubt that all would be fine.
I remember the creek, the little green house, Five Forks, Saluda, horses, the campground, brunswick stew & barbeques and dancing!
Lately, Dad enjoyed quieter activities - watching the deer graze in his backyard and the hummingbirds sip nectar from feeders at the kitchen window; and rooting for his baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles (who, by the way, have a winning streak as I write this!), watching the game on his laptop; and being with the family to celebrate someone's birthday or anniversary or holiday, or just supper at the Fisherman's Galley. I know he was so proud of his family.
But, I will most remember Dad for his infinite optimism. Call it faith, if you will, but I truly believe he didn't think anything bad could happen if you went at a thing with the right attitude. And, his attitude was one of love and trust. He expected good things. He expected to like you and you couldn't help liking him back. His motto "I love everybody and I hope it stays that way" was so Daddy. Arms open wide to pull you in close, you could find great comfort, love and hope in that hug! Always, always a smile...how we will miss that smile and the twinkle in those beautiful blue eyes.
I'll always treasure being able to speak with him at the hospital the day before he passed away - and well remember his last words to me: "Deb, I think that nurse wants ya'll to go home!"
We did, and so, I believe, has Dad.
Love you. Deb
He was a silver-tongued salesman. Selling furniture, insurance and his ideas. He could cajole you into mowing his field (or buying a campground) (or cleaning his sailboat!) and have you believe it was more fun than anything else you could be doing.
He loved to play games and he wanted to win. The score-keeper better keep on her toes! Of course, we all knew Balderdash was his favorite. He could bluff and keep a straight face with the best of them (but we pretty much always knew which definition was his!).
A true sailor at heart (though he served in the Army), he always owned a boat of some sort - from "Gene's Dream" to the little sailboat that sits in the sideyard today. Some of my most memorable and fondest memories are of boating excursions. I especially remember the trip from Powhatan Creek down the inland water ways to Manteo, N.C. When we had to cross Hampton Roads (an international thoroughfare) and encountered waves that towered over our little 25-foot cabin cruiser, Dad instructed us to go below, put on our life jackets and sit tight. I can still see him as I looked up from the galley...calmly steering us through those dangerous waters and whistling as tho' he had no doubt that all would be fine.
I remember the creek, the little green house, Five Forks, Saluda, horses, the campground, brunswick stew & barbeques and dancing!
Lately, Dad enjoyed quieter activities - watching the deer graze in his backyard and the hummingbirds sip nectar from feeders at the kitchen window; and rooting for his baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles (who, by the way, have a winning streak as I write this!), watching the game on his laptop; and being with the family to celebrate someone's birthday or anniversary or holiday, or just supper at the Fisherman's Galley. I know he was so proud of his family.
But, I will most remember Dad for his infinite optimism. Call it faith, if you will, but I truly believe he didn't think anything bad could happen if you went at a thing with the right attitude. And, his attitude was one of love and trust. He expected good things. He expected to like you and you couldn't help liking him back. His motto "I love everybody and I hope it stays that way" was so Daddy. Arms open wide to pull you in close, you could find great comfort, love and hope in that hug! Always, always a smile...how we will miss that smile and the twinkle in those beautiful blue eyes.
I'll always treasure being able to speak with him at the hospital the day before he passed away - and well remember his last words to me: "Deb, I think that nurse wants ya'll to go home!"
We did, and so, I believe, has Dad.
Love you. Deb
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
What a Sad, Sad Day
Oh Grandaddy, whatever will we do without you here on Earth with us?
As sad as we all are, I am hoping that getting together with the family will be a little silver lining.
While I know everyone is busy because there is so much to do, I would love to start the process of gathering some (old and new) pictures together because I would love to do a special memory album... something that we could look at and read through when we are missing him most.
See you soon!
As sad as we all are, I am hoping that getting together with the family will be a little silver lining.
While I know everyone is busy because there is so much to do, I would love to start the process of gathering some (old and new) pictures together because I would love to do a special memory album... something that we could look at and read through when we are missing him most.
See you soon!
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