Grandpa's Memories

We all know him as Daddy, Grandpa, Pops, Papa and Friend. He had 85 years of family and friends, and he spent his time making more memories than I could ever try to capture on paper. His one daughter spent three hours trying to write down all her memories, and even then, I’m sure she’ll think of memories in the days and weeks and years to come that she didn’t think of in those three hours. We could all sit around a fire pit for hours on end and talk about all the memories we share. They are good memories; some may be sad, some may be humorous, and some are just good heartfelt memories that help us remember who Donald Hill was.

Donald Francis Hill was a son, a brother, a friend, a dad, and a grandfather. He served his country well in WWII as a service member of the US Navy. He also served his community with almost 15 years of service on the Kalamazoo County and Barry County Sheriff’s Departments; he served his family well by using that position on the sheriff’s department to escort a daughter to the hospital with a cut up hand, and giving his wife a ticket, even though she may have been determined that she didn’t quite deserve it, but there was no sweet talking out of that one. He was a farmer, and he was a trucker, and he would take turns taking his children with him for a week or more at a time on the road. He helped his daughter conquer her fear of never driving again, after crashing the same car twice in a row, by making her get in and drive when she was too afraid to do it. He also enlisted the help of his son to cover up the fact when he crashed his own car, so his wife wouldn’t know.

He loved summertime, boating and fishing on the lake, and teaching his kids, grandkids and friends of them all to ski and fish. He would take them fishing and then head to the Circle Inn for breakfast with all the syrup you wanted. Gramps didn’t care if you had a plate of syrup, he’d let you have more. Grandpa also didn’t care if you wanted to fish, but didn’t want to bait your own hook, he’d do it for you. He loved to cook out for the houseful of friends and family that were always there at his house on Gun Lake. He’d stand by the grill with his drink and cigar, or what little nub of the cigar was left, and grill those pork ribs, brats, burgers, or even the teeny tiny one bite fish that his grandson would spend the day catching, and that grandpa would patiently scale and clean. He would take us all out to the island on the pontoon boat, which was loaded to the max with kids, grandkids and the dogs. Spending an entire day at the island and then parking the boat on the lake to watch fireworks on the 4th of July.

He was a good man, who once drove 200 miles for a daughter and his son-in-law, just to build special steps to make getting into the house easier. He once drove, for what seemed like hours, around San Diego on Christmas day with me and my newly enlisted USMC husband just to find a place that was open to make sure we had a Christmas dinner with family. He was a father and grandfather who was always there for his family, he would listen and be there for you, and he accepted us all for who we are. He spoiled his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There was always plenty of chocolate and candy to be shared by grandpa. Even after he had his stroke, he still helped his great-grandson learn how to walk with him and his walker, and then he taught him how to drive the scooter. He loved to garden, and once he was beyond being able to do the gardening himself, he still loved to supervise and make sure it was done the correct way. He loved his dogs. Buttons, Freckles, Missy, Sammy and Socks, the dogs travelled with him wherever he went. And, he loved to travel. He and Grandma Josie would take their RV and head to their next destination, whether it was off to see his daughter Marrian, or just to Whiskey Creek campground in Michigan near his family.

He was a lot of things to a lot of people. He had special memories that he shared with everyone of us. And, he had a good full life. The best memory is a general one and how I choose to remember him, as being full of fun and laughter, and sharing that laughter with all the people in his life, and with a smile on his face. We love you Grandpa, Daddy, Papa… We will see you again one day.