A Tribute to My Grandpa

So today, March 30th, would of been my Grandpa's 94th birthday.  He was a really awesome man and an extra special part in my life that I will forever be grateful for.  With this post, I hope to express my appreciation for my Grandpa and share with the world how amazing he was!

I hope you forgive me for the long post, he lived a wonderful 93 years!  And please feel free to click on any of the pictures to see them larger, there are a lot of great ones!  Also, everything in red is a link, feel free to click on that as well!

(picture: Oct 1917 - age 7 months)

Hector Benjamin Andrade was born March 30th, 1917 in Tubac, AZ.  He was the first of Ramon & Rachel (Gastelum) Andrade's ten children.  His family was actually naturalized as American citizens when Arizona was purchased from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase.  So we've actually been in Arizona before it was even Arizona!

(picture: 1932 - age 15)

He was raised on a dairy farm which he helped his father run.  They had about 60 cows that had to be milked two times a day, everyday, regardless of weekends or holidays!  (Grandpa said that when he went to boot camp it was the first time he was able to relax!)  They also had horses, pigs, chickens, and goats.  My Grandpa loved horses and was quite the cowboy!  He actually rode a horse to elementary school.

 In addition to working my Great-grandfather's farm, my Grandpa had a milk route.  He would pick up milk from the farmers and drop it off at the dairy.  It was hard work starting very early in the mornings (they didn't have A/C to cool the milk), an involved a lot of lifting.  I'm sure the roads weren't that good back then.  He also had to maintain the truck, so he gained his mechanical skills early on.   

(picture: 1940 - age 23)

Look at this GQ stud! I love this picture!  He loved cars.

When Grandpa was very young, about pre-school age, my Great-grandparents had some friends over for dinner.  After dinner and talking, the couple went to drive home.  Their car would not start.  Upon checking it out, they found that my Grandpa had been under the hood.  He had disassembled the carburetor and the ignition wires!  He wanted to see how it worked, so he took it apart.  My great-grandparents were totally embarrassed by their overly curious son and he got his for it.  

But he obviously never lost his interest in figuring out all things mechanical.  He was always in the garage in a 'monkey suit' as he called them (they looked something like Navy coveralls) fixing cars for friends and family.

(picture: June 18th, 1940 - age 23)

This is the first picture of my Grandparents on their first date.  He met my Grandma, G. Nadine Lemon, in Business College.

(picture: 1942 - age 25)

I love this picture.  My Grandpa was not a publicly emotional guy, so to see a picture of them kissing is definitely different!

(picture: Sept 1st, 1942 - age 25)

My Grandpa was Catholic and my Grandmother was devoutly Methodist.  So instead of having to choose whose church to get married in, they went to a Justice of the Peace in Wickenburg, AZ.

(picture: Sept 1st, 1942 - age 25)

This is their wedding picture.

(picture: 1943 - age 26)

Here is my Grandpa at Ft Lewis, WA.  He had 4 years of Active Duty in the United States Army.  After that he spent 32 years in the Army National Guard.  He eventually retired Lt. Col. 

(picture: June 1945 - age 28)

Here is a picture of my Grandpa and a friend in Innsbruck, Austria during WWII.  

Grandpa was stationed in England for a time to take classes on coding.  After that he was put on a boat to cross the channel to Normandy, France (it wasn't early on in the D-Day invasions, we already had the beaches). He said that the water was so choppy that he threw up over the side of the boat the whole way.

He was in Patton's 3rd Army and stationed at Headquarters.  He decoded messages from and for the front line.  He said that Patton was hard to keep track of because he was always going off map.  Grandpa really admired Patton, he got to meet him and said that Patton loved to fight, was a great leader, and was strict, but the people loved him.  

After the Allied Forces had taken over Hitler's Eagle's Nest, Grandpa said that he and his friends would visit there on weekends.  

It took Grandpa 2 - 3 months to get home when WWII was over.  A Serviceman's ability to go home was based on a point system, or Advanced Service Rating Score.  I wish I knew Grandpa's points.  Anyway, one friend of Grandpa's recounts the story that my Grandfather and this friend had enough points to go home, but his little brother did not.  This friend and his little brother were the sole means of support to their mother.  On hearing this, my Grandpa went to someone in charge and talked this little brother up so that he was given the points to go home with them.  The friend says that they were both forever grateful to my Grandfather for that.

(picture: June 30th, 1945)

This is a newspaper article about my Grandmother and my Uncle Lynn (if you read the article you'll see that the newspaper incorrectly reported that he was a girl).  My Grandma was pregnant with my Uncle Lynn when my Grandpa left for WWII.

(picture: Sept 1945 - age 28)

This picture is really neat!  Grandpa told my Uncle Richard that they named the camps that were established as they drove towards Germany after American Icons, such as Camp Lucky Strike in France (named after the cigarettes).  His trek came through France, into Germany around Frankfurt and they went south through Munich and ended up near Innsbruck (two pictures up).  

Grandpa told my Uncle Richard that they were either in southern Germany or near Innsbruck, Austria when this photo was taken.  The camp may have been named after someone (like Charles de Gaulle?) or some American General - we're not sure.

In this picture he is standing in front of a German 88 (mm) series Flak cannon - Flugabwehrkanone.

(picture: April 6th, 1958 - age 41)

Here is a picture of my Grandparents and all my Aunts and Uncles.  Their birth order is: Lynn, Susan, Barbara, Richard, and my mom Jeanne.

(picture: June 1963 - age 46)

This picture from left to right: Richard, Barbara, Grandpa, Grandma, Lynn, Susan, and Jeanne.

(picture: March 31st, 1984 - age 67)

  I was the 4th grandchild (out of 9 - not included step-grandchildren).

I love these pictures of my Grandpa holding me right after I was born!

(picture: 1984 - age 67)

I think this picture of my Grandpa feeding me is really cute :)

(picture: 1985 - age 68 )

This is one of my all time favorite pictures of him.

(picture: June 1986 - age 69)

Here are the first five grandchildren (Kurt, the 6th, would be born in August of that year).  Starting Clockwise from my Grandpa, my Uncle Jack, Aaron (the 1st), Christopher (the 3rd), Me, April (the 2nd), and Eric (the 5th).  

Grandpa was a wonderful grandfather.  I took very good care of us grandchildren.  Always playing, helping, and teaching us.  Grandpa and Grandma always attended our school projects, music recitals, dance recitals (for the girls), plays, sports games, award ceremonies, and anything else you could imagine.

(picture: 1987 - age 70)

I love this picture (lol ok I love all of these pictures).  Grandpa is up on a ladder hanging the American Flag with Eric on his back.  My Grandpa was very healthy and active until my Grandma's health went south in about 2003/2004.

(picture: 1988 - age 71)

After Grandpa had returned from WWII just a couple days, he went to straight to work.  He applied at the AZ Dept of Economic Security.  He was hired by Gov. Rose Mofford (not Governor at the time, of course).  She said to him, "I know you have JUST gotten home from the war.  Please take a couple weeks to adjust to your family and then you can start work".  To that he responded "Thank you, but I couldn't do such a thing.  Look at all these GIs that need my help.  I couldn't go on a vacation when there are people in need."  

  He started as a clerk, and progressed to the position of Administrative Law Judge where he adjudicated disagreements when applicants were initially denied claims, or employers disputed claims awards.  That position these days requires a degree in law - he learned it from the ground up.  As his responsibilities grew, he would travel out of town and hold hearings all around the state.

He retired from the state, having worked there for 40+ years, at the age of 71 (2nd longest term employee in the state of AZ, Gov. Rose Mofford was the 1st).  

(picture: Aug 1990 - age 73)

This is a picture of my Mom and my Grandpa.  My mom was very close to him and has taken after him in her love for horses, strong work ethic, dedication, and a plethora more admirable qualities.

(picture: May 1991 - age 74)

Grandpa and Grandma cooking together.  I loved Grandpa's cooking.  It's where I got my love of burnt food! lol  Every time Grandpa cooked, Eric and I would stand at the end of the hallway by the fire alarm. With newspapers in hand, we'd wave away the smoke that would set the alarm off! 

(picture: May 1991 - age 74)

One of my favorite memories is when my whole family would sit together at the table at my Grandparent's house and we'd enjoy a delicious dinner of Mexican food.  We'd have tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, beans, and all the fixings!  It's still one of my favorite things to do!

(picture: 1992 - age 75)

Every summer my family would go camping.  Usually we'd go to Woods Canyon Lake, up to the White Mountains, or somewhere.  The grandkids loved getting up early and going fishing with Grandpa.  We loved hikes (Grandma collecting every rock she saw, lol, and making Grandpa carry them), camp fires, swinging in the hammock, and playing family games (like cards, uno, back gammon, or tile rummy).  I wish we still did that stuff!

(picture: Sept 1992 - age 75)

Every year in September for my mom's birthday, my mom and her friends would go on a trail ride with the horses.  They'd be gone about a week.  Grandpa always went with.  Mom said he was the best water carrier and latrine digger!  (Grandpa is the 3rd rider from the left and mom is the 4th.)

(picture: 1994 - age 77)

(picture: March 1999 - age 82)

I am very luck to share my birthday close to my Grandpa's.  Along with a couple others in my family.  My Uncle Lynn (the top)- March 17th, (from the left) Me- March 31st, Aunt Susan- April 5th, Grandpa- March 30th and Aunt Barbara- March 29th.

(picture: 2000 - age 83)

This was at an ROTC Awards Banquet.  I definitely got my patriotism and love of structure from my Grandpa.

(picture: Sept 2001 - age 84)

(picture: May 2002 - age 85)

My High School graduation.

(picture: 2003 - age 86 )

Here is a picture with all but two of his grandchildren, in parenthesis is which aunt they belong to.  Top row: Eric (Barbara), Kymi (Jeanne), April (Susan), Aaron (Susan), Christopher (Barbara).  Bottom row: Grandma, Grandpa, Kurt (Susan), and myself (Jeanne).

(picture: Sept 1st, 2004 - age 87)

This is my Grandparents on their 62nd wedding anniversary.  My Grandma passed away a month after their 64th anniversary.

(picture: Nov 4th, 2005 - age 88)

The most fond memory I have of my Grandpa is of him walking me down the aisle when I got married.  I remember him telling me that he was very honored that I asked him.  At the time he walked with a cane, and he practiced walking so he could take me down the aisle without using it.  It's something that I'll never forget.

(picture: March 30th, 2007 - age 90)

This is a picture of Grandpa and his (at the time) remaining siblings on his 90th birthday.  We enjoyed great food and fun with friends and family at Tradiciones Restaurant in Phoenix.  From left to right: Jimmy (dec.), Oscar, Connie, Dora, Grandpa, Ester, and Eddie.  His siblings that have previously passed on were Amelia, Raymond, and George.

(picture: March 30th, 2007 - age 90)

Grandpa and I at his 90th birthday party.

(picture: June 2007 - age 90)

(picture: June 2009 - age 92)

Grandpa was very proud of his Marine Grandson - Christopher, and his Navy Grandson (in-law)- Rob.  Here he's wearing a shirt with a picture of Christopher in Afghanistan, and the cap he's wearing (that I now have hanging on my wall) is his favorite cap from Rob's ship, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

(picture: 2009 - age 92)

Here is Benjamin (Lynn's son), grandchild #9.

(picture: March 2010 - age 93)

For Grandpa's 93rd birthday, I made him a scrapbook.  In the scrapbook, Aunt Susan and I collected pictures of him with every person in the family and had each family member write a letter to Grandpa expressing their appreciation for him and fond memories they have of him.  After we gave him the book, we each took a picture with him.  He loved that scrapbook and would look at it often.

While Rob was training in Great Lakes, IL, I was home in AZ.  From 2009 to 2010 I helped take care of Grandpa at least one day a week.  I am really glad I was able to do that and to spend time with him.  I loved our Tuesdays together.  Especially because he always told me I was such a good cook!

(picture: April 2010 - age 93)

This picture was taken on Easter.

(picture: Dec 22nd, 2010 - age 93)

Here is Maven (Lynn's daughter), grandchild #8.  We really need a picture of all the grandchildren together!  We have lots, but we're always missing someone from the photo.

(picture: Dec 25th, 2010 - age 93)

This was Christmas.

He will forever have a special place in my heart and I look forward to the day that we are reunited together.