My Grandpa

Me and Grandpa on the back patio in Athens

I'm back in the U.S. this week for the funeral of my grandpa.  In declining health he passed away this week and asked that I would come home to perform his funeral service.  What grandson would turn that opportunity down?  I just wanted to take a little blog space to let you know who grandpa was....

Lester Wilson (that's Grandpa for clarification) grew up in central Texas in a small community, the son of a cotton farmer.  I think his childhood impacted his adulthood in a tremendous way.  My grandpa was a plain spoken and simple man with the unending work ethic of small town America.  That being said grandpa was one of the smartest men I ever knew (he had three daughters so he had to be smart to survive that).  At 17 he lied so he could join the navy and fight in WWII.  After the war he returned home and met a wonderful lady, Betty (my grandmother).  They married and raised one son and three daughters.  Grandpa's adult life was spent working for Ford motor company and he retired and drove a school bus for Athens ISD for as long as I can remember.

The most important day in my grandpa's life came some 60 years ago when after much protesting he decided to follow Jesus and make him the lord of His life.  It was a day that not only changed his life but would ultimately have a tremendous impact on my life.  My grandpa had a deep and intimate relationship with Christ.  Through him I saw what daily Christian living looked like.  His bible was always being studied, it was tattered, it was worn and it was well read.  Sitting around the table and hearing stories of how grandpa helped folks that were out of work, how he took in family members that had no where to go, how he refused to eat at restraunts that would not serve his black co workers.  My grandpa never did what was popular, he did what was right.  He lived the scripture he believed, in a simple daily life.  He loved people, he helped those that needed help, and he spoke truth.  To a young boy growing to a young man, he was the model of Christian living.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak a final time with my grandpa on the phone.  I caught him up with my life in Serbia, and my family.  He talked some about his funeral what was important to be said - preach Jesus he told me, and the last words he spoke to me were "son I'll see you on the other side".  That's the legacy of my grandpa, the other side.  The people that will see him again because shared the name of Jesus.