Me and Grandpa
Doug about 1974

Today is my grandpa Doug’s birthday, he would be 79. Grandpa Doug died 1 Aug 1991 from a heart attack. He had never had heart problems to speak of. He got up one morning and made it to the dining room where he grabbed a chair and collapsed on the floor.

My grandma ran to the phone to call my uncle who lived a few houses down. When he and my aunt arrived, they immediately called 911. When paramedics arrived, they found a weak pulse but it never became strong enough and grandpa died in route to the hospital.

I saw him for the last time in May of 1991. He and grandma lived out of town and we were there for mother’s day. My son was 5 months old, Grandpa was standing him up on his lap and talking to him so I ran into the kitchen to get my camera. I told Grandma and other friends and family that I would never forgive myself if I didn’t take a picture of them together and something happened to Grandpa. Everyone laughed at me and smiled because I was so sentimental. I cherish that picture today.

I miss him very much. I miss his laugh and his nickname for me. He was a full blood Cherokee and always greeted me in Cherokee (o-si-yo, a-ge-yu-tsa) but for some reason he always said “adios” when someone left instead of “wa-do” in cherokee. LOL : )