Merrill Reid passed away last night around nine oclock. Many of you met my grandfather at some point over the years and may recall he had a very unique and joking personality. He had slipped into dementia more and more these past few years but still managed to maintain a sense of humor, and would walk you into a punchline on your way out the door even as recently as a couple months ago. I remember strolling over to the old Reeve Union with him when I was three years old to get a chocolate long john and chocolate milk. I remember all the egg sandwiches and French toast he made for my lunches, the clicking of his station wagons turn signal as he drove me to school, and the rattle of his false teeth when I was too young to know his teeth were false. He was the main person with whom I always watched the Price is Right. He taught me how to whistle, fish, shoot, hunt, spit, boat, and mow the fields with our tractor. And he was just as much and more to my dad, my siblings, and my nieces and nephews. From farm boy to soldier to hard-working family man, he was always a good storyteller. Painting very detailed pictures of a WWII scene or simply how the old days used to be. He passed yesterday at the age of 91, outliving his wife, his four siblings, and most of his generation. In the last two years, as his health declined, this song began reminding me of my Grandpa every time I heard it. I think he would have enjoyed it, in his younger days. The funeral will be next Thursday morning, in Omro. Specific details are being printed in Sundays paper. If any family or friends of the family have questions, please send me a private message. With Grandpa Sanchezs passing in July, there is a lot of grieving and healing going through the whole family---so please keep each other in your thoughts. As with any passing, remember life is short, spite is silly, and love was always the reason to do anything.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 00:25:01 +0000
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