Today would be Papa Herschel’s 82nd birthday.  Edie Grace tonight told me that she knew he was having one heck of a party in heaven.  She was three when he went home to heaven but she talks about him like he left yesterday.  Recently we were talking about her spending the night with a friend away from mom and dad.  I was concerned that she would miss us.  We were talking about being alone and away from us.  She stopped me and told me to never worry about her.  She would never be alone she had a very special angel that was with her always.  That angel she told me was Papa Herschel.  Well it took me a few minutes to compose myself and I reconfirmed that indeed she had a very special angel.

Papa Herschel was Edie Grace’s great grandfather and my grandfather.  He raised me as if I were his son.  He was larger than life to me.  He was everything you could imagine the perfect dad to be.  He was a real hero in more ways than you could count.  He was a veteran serving in WWII where he received two purple hearts and many other honors.  He loved the lord and served him very faithfully.  He was a great story teller.  He was a wonderful provider who loved his family and his community. 

A prolific reader, he loved politics and always had a command of current issues.  He was passionate and believed that one person could make a difference.  He was the most patient man I have ever met.  He ALWAYS saw the good in every person and every situation.  He sacrificed everything for his family.  He worked hard to make sure life was better for me.  He wanted me to have every opportunity that he never had.  He always had the right answer and would listen to for hours and actually hear everything you said.

We talked every day - no matter who I was with or where I was - I never went to sleep without hearing his reassuring voice.  We had that kind of relationship until he was called home.  I was 38.  Ironically I was 35 when Edie Grace was born - the same age he was when I was born.  He prayed daily that God would bless Lori and I with a child.  He never gave up faith that we would be blessed with her.  After she was born I will never forget the first time he held her in his arms with a tear in his eye he told me that she was more incredible than God had described her to him.  He explained that no matter how much I thought I understood love - I really never knew love like Edie Grace would bring to Lori and I.  He was SO right.  But he was always right.

His doctor called me on Sunday afternoon and asked if I could join Herschel on Monday for his appointment at his office.  He had been having some health problems that concerned us.  I never expected the news we would receive the next day.  He had terminal lung cancer.  Maybe it was caused from years of smoking, maybe it was caused from holding uranium U2-32 in his bare hands when he assisted Albert Einstein in testing the H and A bombs in the Marshall Islands.  Maybe it was a combination of both.  The doctor told him that treatment was not an option and that he had a six weeks to six months.  Herschel took the news as he took all of his news - with a smile and a strong reassurance to me and momma that everything was going to be fine.  He said that it was time and he knew it.

He had dreamed of retracing his footsteps through Europe when he bravely marched there under the command of General Patton.  I offered to escort him there or anywhere else he wanted to go.  He also wanted to see the WWII  memorial in Washington DC.  When the news spread of his illness several friends came forward with jets and offered to fly him anywhere he wanted to go.  He was on oxygen around the clock at this point and had succumbed to a wheel chair.  He simply did not think he could make the trip.

He did agree to go to the North Georgia mountains with Lori, Edie Grace and I.  What a special trip I will never forget.  On the drive up we listened to Dr. Wayne Ate’s cd’s.  He along with Lewis Grizzard and Jerry Clower was one of Herschel’s favorite comedians.  Herschel loved to laugh.  He laughed often.  I remember asking him once why he laughed so much and he told me that he learned early in life that you could either laugh or cry and he chose to laugh.  The picture above was one of our last with him.  It was at the Baby Land General hospital in Cleveland, Georgia.  This was Edie Grace’s actual third birthday.  He accompanied us to watch the “birth” of her first cabbage patch doll.  What a wonderful memory to cherish.

On this trip he asked me to deliver his eulogy.  He knew it would be the hardest speech I ever gave - but he knew I would send him off in grand style. 

He passed away exactly six weeks after we learned that the end was near.  It was a Friday morning and he died at home very peacefully.  That night I was sitting at my desk working on the most difficult speech of my life when Edie Grace noticed something was wrong with me.  She came into my office and crawled up in my lap.  She asked me why I was upset.  I explained to her what I was doing.  I went on to explain that Papa Herschel’s soul and spirit was now in heaven - but we would bury his tired body in the ground.  She looked at me with her beautiful peaceful eyes and said to me, “don’t worry daddy, when we put Papa Herschel in the ground tomorrow he will grow into a beautiful flower for us to enjoy forever!”  What peace flooded my soul. 

The last time we visited his grave - sprouting out from the crack was a beautiful wild flower - smiling at me.  I knew all was good!

Papa Herschel we love you and miss you - but we will NEVER forget you.  We work hard every day to make you proud of your investment and sacrifices to make our lives so much better than yours ever was.  We are truly blessed in unimaginable ways and we work every day to prove what you taught us so well - that one person can make a difference.

On this special day - your birthday - I will share again the text from the most difficult speech of my life - your eulogy:

Most people go through life and never get the opportunity to meet their hero – but for me – I got to live with and talk to him every day of my life. Herschel taught us all a lot about life and living it to its fullest. He was and optimist’s optimist – he never saw a glass half empty. In his greatest challenges – he saw terrific opportunities. He understood the gift of laughter and Herschel laughed a lot.

Several weeks ago when the family met with hospice to discuss his final few weeks he told us that he did not want a traditional funeral – but he wanted a low country boil as a celebration of his life. He knew that life was not ending but just beginning for him in heaven.

One thing is certain – growing up with Herschel there was never many moments of boredom. Herschel always had a story to tell and even today I am moved by his down to earth, common sense wisdom that as become a dominant beacon in all of our lives. Herschel taught us the art of taking lemons and making lemonade. He led by example living a life based on a strong Christian foundation – which provides you the positive attitude that makes success inevitable.

Herschel said that he knew life was looking up the first time he met his future wife Betty. He had heard a lot about her and went to meet her. This was during the depression and folks at that time made clothes out of whatever they could. He describes walking up to Betty and she was bending over in a field working. The first thing he saw on her rear end was the words XXX Bulla’s Best Self Rising. He said that things he knew he was I the right place and then she turned around and as she did the wind blew the front of her skirt up and he read the words 100% PURE SUGAR. At that point he knew she was the one!!

Herschel loved momma, Richard, Lajuan, Edwin, Glenda and all of his family

He loved his friends

He loved to share stories

He loved to brighten someone’s day

He loved God and he loved spreading his word

He loved the Braves and the Falcons

He loved politics – yes he remained a YELLOW DOG!!

He loved to fish

He loved to eat

He loved the challenge of repairing a broken radio or TV

He loved the Airport

He loved CNN

He loved knowledge - he read a minimum of 3 newspapers daily

He loved LIFE!!!

He loved the quote by President Theodore Roosevelt who said, “Do what you can with what you have, where you are!”

E. Paul Hovey said, “A blind man’s world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man’s world by the limits of his knowledge; a great man’s world by the limits of his vision.” Herschel believed if your vision – your dream – is great, then so is your potential for success.

A few Herschelisms that forever brighten our day:

What I believe about life determines how I perceive life, which determines, what I receive from life

Making a living is easy – finding the right woman, marrying her and staying married is the hardest thing you will ever do

It is either up or down

In life you either a big cat, a little cat or a tiny kitten

It is much better being the king maker than it is being the king

One mile of highway will take you exactly one mile – but one mile of airport runway will take you any where in the world

Yesterday ended last night

Between saying and doing many a pair of shoes have been worn out

No matter what a person’s past may have been his future is spotless!

Herschel loved to share God’s gifts to us as reminders for our life:

He gave us:

A Horizon: to help us see the incredible possibilities ahead

The Sun: to give us warmth and hope

Mountains: to represent the challenges ahead

Birds: to inspire us to soar like eagles

Flowers: to remind us to stop and smell the roses, to enjoy the journey along the way

A Path: to offer direction and security, to give assurance that you will be leading in the right way

Our self: to demonstrate our commitment to our dreams and to live life as every day is your last

Vince Lombardi stated, “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour – his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious!”

Herschel today – you have fought your final battle and her you lie VICTORIOUS!!

Herschel admired and loved Dr. Michael Guido. Dr. Guido reminds us that life is not always easy but basically it is simple. Have faith, believe, love pray and work – and as the Lord himself has said nothing shall be impossible unto you!

Last night I was explaining to my daughter Edie Grace that Papa Herschel has gone home to heaven. I went on to say that when a person goes to heaven it is like a baby falling to sleep in his fathers arms. Paul talks about the Christian sleeping – he describes how you close your eyes on earth and opens them to angel’s carrying his spirit and soul to heaven – these angels were waiting on Papa. Today we will be leaving Papa’s body in the cemetery. Many of us think of this as a lonely place. But we must remember Jesus’ grave and how the angels guarded that spot. I am certain that the angels will guard papa’s grave. His spirit and soul are at home in heaven with the Lord but his body will be waiting for the resurrections. Edie Grace – like Herschel always has to have the last word - responded with reassurances saying – And Papa Herschel will grow into a beautiful flower daddy!!

That’s right Edie Grace – he will be a beautiful flower!!

I want to close with Herschel’s favorite quote from one of his hero’s Theodore Roosevelt. This reminds us vividly of Herschel and all that he stood for. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again…..who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. So that is place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Thank you Herschel – OUR HERO – God BLESS YOU – we love you and we will miss you!!

—DeWayne Grice