It's hard for me to make this entry because I miss my grandfather more than anything - my memories of him are so many, I could probably build a 'blog' just of those.
As a young man, he listed himself as 'farmer' when he married my Grandma Wilma. The farm they lived on all their lives, was a wedding gift from my Great Grandmother Grace and Great Grandfather Charles Van Vranken. For years the hard work paid off - it was a well-known farm on a state and national level.
As Breezy remembers: "My grandfather Charles would hoe in the garden; he'd pick the string beans - he'd walk the fields in admiration of the crops my dad would bring in each year". "Grandmother Grace would bake in the kitchen helping mom because mother had such a weak heart."
Great Grandpa stood 6'6" tall - his son was about 6'4" - as a child, both loomed over me like tall trees - loving trees with great patience.
This photo was taken so it could be used to publish the announcement of my grandfather winning the Swiftening Company's Centennial award to him as the "Most Outstanding Beef-Breeder in the United States" award. Not only was grandpa active in the cattle industry, but he worked with Ezra Taft Benson (Secretary of Agriculture) on a number of projects for this nation - as it served all farmers.
Grandpa was head of the National Cattlemen's Association for a number of years; head of the Michigan State chapter as well. Grandpa was President of the Republican Party in his county; headed up the Draft Board in WWII - involved with a number of the clubs and groups that served the local community and county so well.
Grandpa was a generous man - he worked in his community to give a hand to the less fortunate, and made certain his hired hands were housed in comfortable homes; given good wages, and was loved by all that knew him.
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