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‘Grand’
essays –
Grandkids’ essays
share why their grandparent is so special
The two state
winners of the Sixth-Grade Essay Contest wrote about
their grandfathers. Brendan Troy of Eagan, relates
memories of William Troy, while Catherine Susanne
Stokes, Rosemount, describes her relationship with
Ted Remme of Faribault. Catherine is the daughter of
Nancy Stokes, Rosemount. Brendan Troy is the son of
Michael and Cynthia Troy of Eagan.
The students read
their essays on Senior Day, Aug. 29, at the
Minnesota State Fair as part of the Outstanding
Senior Citizen Program.
‘You Enrich My
Heart’
By Brendan Troy
Dakota Hills Middle
School
As I saw my
grandpa’s thin, weak and very sick body lying
practically helpless and thin as a twig on his
hospital bed in the hospice unit, I bit my tongue
and tried not to cry like a baby who lost his
rattle. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. He used
to be so strong and thick. But he still had the same
bright blue eyes and kind, soft features. Still, he
wasn’t always stuck in a small room in a hospice
unit with almost no way to help himself.
Grandpa Troy was a
great man. In fact, I would call him a Renaissance
man. He did everything from serve in World War II,
to raise a family of seven children, to read
thousands of books. From all of those experiences,
to say the least he was a very wise and
knowledgeable man.
He was very short
and plump before he had cancer. His graying hair and
bright blue eyes jumped out at you immediately. I
will never forget the caring sense that came with
him wherever he went. My grandpa always had a book
in his hand, a piece of knowledge to share and a
story to tell.
I shared many
special experiences with him. Now I treasure those
times, and I will never forget them. My grandpa and
I would always go to the library. He had a very
large selection of books at his house and had read
every last one of them. But there was still never a
time when he didn’t have anything to read as he
sat in his big blue easy chair. He also taught me
how to punt a football. That is one thing we were
both very proud of.
One of my most
special memories is that after Grandpa was treated
for cancer he came over to our house for a long
period of time. During that time, he got better by
the day. He loved seeing his family and he also
loved getting homemade meals. My grandma was not
alive to cook, so he thought every meal was a treat.
I especially remember when we tried to teach him how
to eat an artichoke, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Eventually, he had to go back to his home in Racine,
Wisconsin, but his visit was one of the most special
times I ever spent with him.
My grandfather
getting cancer was one of the worst things that
could have happened to one of the best people I’ve
ever known. My grandpa was diagnosed with liver
cancer and not given long to live. He became the
first person in Wisconsin to try a new treatment. It
worked very well, and he lived a lot longer than
anyone expected. While he was still alive with
cancer, my grandma was diagnosed with and died of
lymphoma, another type of cancer. After that, we all
expected him to give up on life and just quietly
pass away. But my grandpa was strong. He held on to
the remaining threads of life tightly so that he
could be with his family as long as possible. As his
condition got worse, though, we all had to make
changes. We brought a hospital bed and wheelchair
into his room so that he could stay at home. We
started to visit him more and more often, and my dad
would go and stay with him weeks at a time. During
the time that we spent with him, he tried hard to be
enthusiastic, but he could barely smile in his
condition. We would talk to him and tell him what we
had been doing lately. He could barely acknowledge
me when I told him my birthday was soon. Then, I
went and put on my football gear. I put on my
dad’s old high school practice jersey, which
sported my grandpa’s college football number, and
then I walked into his room and told him that I was
punter on my football team. He couldn’t even
smile, but he didn’t have to. I could feel the
room around me filling with happiness and delight,
and I knew that he was joyful. When his condition
got worse, we brought him to a hospice unit, where
he later died peacefully in his sleep.
As I walked out of
his hospice room on that painful visit, he had one
final thing to say to my brother and me: "you
enrich my heart." I can’t tell you how much
that means to me, and how much it reflects his
personality. I love you, Grandpa.
My teddy bear
By Catherine
Susanne Stokes
Rosemount Middle
School
Were you born on a
kitchen table? Have you been riding a motorcycle for
the last 50 years? Well my Grandpa has done that and
more.
Since my dad lives
far away, my Grandpa has been a father figure to me.
He has always been a great role model. He has always
been there for me. Here are just a few reasons I
think I have the best grandfather ever.
For many years, my
mom and I have lived just down the street from my
grandparents. One of the best things about my
Grandpa is his personality. He is always telling
funny jokes. When I tell a joke, even if I don’t
tell it well, he always laughs. I can’t help but
smile when he makes his funny faces. He is always
willing to help anyone.
When I was five
years old, my grandpa would take me for rides on his
motorcycle. He had a black Honda Gold Wing. The
older I got, the farther we rode. Two years ago, we
went all the way to the Wisconsin Dells. It was over
100 miles! There were days when we would get on the
motorcycle in the morning to go for a little ride,
and we would end up in Duluth. Grandma and Mom
always wondered where we were, and when we would get
home. Now that Grandpa has gotten a little older, he
had to sell his motorcycle. I know that saddened
him, but he said that he has great memories to
remember.
Grandpa and I
started our own traditions. Every Sunday we would go
out for pie on the motorcycle. I would get pumpkin,
and Grandpa would get custard. Whenever I stay at
his house, he makes me eggs on toast. Since we moved
to Rosemount, I don’t get to have breakfast with
him as often as I used to.
When we lived in
Faribault, Grandpa and I would do everything
together. On Mon-day and Thursday nights we would
watch WWF wrestling. We would make cookies and Rice
Krispy bars. Of course, on Sunday, we would watch
football. I wasn’t very interested in football
until Grand-pa explained what it was all about.
I have learned so
many great things from my Grand-pa. One of them is
to never give up. My Grandma has multiple sclerosis
and a bone disease. Grandpa has stood by her side
all these years. In just the past three years, she
has had a dozen surgeries on her back. He has taken
such good care of her, no matter how difficult it
got.
I’ve taught
Grandpa a few things. I’ve taught him how to use a
computer. He had never used e-mail before.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t use it often enough. The
computer is collecting dust. I’d like to teach him
how to swim, but he’s terribly afraid of water.
When he was a small boy, he fell into a cow tank,
and he nearly drowned. The closest he’ll get to
water today is in the shower.
Grandpa and
Grandma’s neighbor is quite old and is too weak to
do her own yard work. Grandpa volunteers to take
care of her lawn and still does his own. He waters
her flowers and gets her newspaper for her. She had
surgery before Christmas, and when she got home, he
would take her cookies and Christmas treats. It’s
the little things like those that make me love him
the way I do.
My Grandpa speaks
fluent Norwegian. He makes the most of it when he
gets sales calls at night. He answers the phone in
Norwegian. He is extremely proud of his Norwegian
heritage. He bakes Norwegian cookies called krumkaka
and rosettes. They are delicious! He taught me to
pray in Norwegian, and I am learning more words
every day.
My Grandpa served
in the Army for many years. That is where he met my
grandma. They never saw each other until they were
engaged. They met through the mail and have been
married for more than 35 years. Isn’t that
romantic?
I feel lucky to
have had my Grandpa close by for all these years.
Not everyone is as fortunate. I can only hope that
he will be around for many more years. I know that
we will always be there for each other. He is the
greatest Grandpa ever!
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