Remembering Paw-Paw

 

There are 84 years between Hannah and her great-grandfather "Paw-Paw" (short by only a few days- Hannah's birthday is Jan. 7 and Paw-Paw's is Jan. 13). You wouldn't think these two would have much in common given that age gap, but they were best buddies from the start... well almost ;) Hannah was a little unsure of Paw-Paw at first when she was much younger but that all changed very quickly when we started going to the same church as Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw when Hannah was about 3 years-old. Paw-Paw showered her with gifts every Sunday and they became fast friends. He would hide candy and trinkets in his coat pocket for her, and as she got older she got money from him every Sunday.

I should mention that before Hannah was around, Paw-Paw would dote on me and he would give me a pack of gum every week. One Sunday I made a joke about him not ever bringing me anything anymore and the next Sunday he showed up at church with a huge box of chocolates for me.

He loved to make Hannah happy and always asked her what she wanted. He promised her a pony, and a cell phone, and a Barbie Dream House. At that point I think we told her that Paw-Paw was very old and didn't understand the world anymore, haha... like what a Barbie Dream House costs for example! They had such a sweet relationship and I'm so thankful that Hannah got to know him for 8 years. I don't think a lot of people get the chance to know their great-grandparents and I hope that as Hannah grows up she will realize even more how special it was that she knew two of her great-grandparents so well. 

I love the above picture of Hannah and Paw-Paw, they were sitting in the front pew at church together just chatting about something and laughing like old friends. It encapsulates their relationship perfectly. 

Paw-Paw died on December 23 this year and we will miss him so very much. Next November there will be a banner for him when we celebrate All Saints Day at church. Hannah went ahead and made a version on her iPad (it's pictured at the bottom). She included tools because he loved woodworking, candy and money of course, a bible and his cane, and sunglasses- because he always wore them at church so he could snooze during the service (haha! he really cracked me up! If I make it to 91 I'm wearing sunglasses in church too.) She also illustrated a picture of Stephen as a kid in a wheel barrow that Paw-Paw used to push him around in, and also a picture of Paw-Paw dropping coins in a pool for Jenni and Stephen to find when they were kids. That's Paw-Paw, always spoiling his grandchildren and great-grandchildren :) 

Stephen did Paw-Paw's funeral and shared this story at the conclusion: 

"I want to share one more story with you, and it goes back to his retirement from Mercer Baptist. As he was cleaning out his office, he wanted to give me some books. He looked at me and said, 'Stephen, you may or may not use these, and you may or may not feel a call to ministry, but I have a feeling that you just might.' I was a teenager at this point, and he didn't know I was already struggling with a call to ministry, and that I wasn't really sure it was what I wanted. I think that's the thing I will take with me the most about Paw-Paw. He saw a version of me that I wasn't ready to see myself. He always saw the best in me, always went out of his way to encourage me and to let me know he was proud of me. There was never a day in my life where he wasn't in my corner. As I take him with me and as I remember him, I will try to live up to the version of me he saw with his grandfather eyes. Thanks be to God for such a long and wonderful life full of so much service. Full of so much love. " 

I am the resurrection and the life, said Jesus. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

Paw-Paw's Obituary:
Rev. Clarence "Melvin" Riley, 91, died Saturday, December 23 at the Masonic Home in Shelbyville.

Melvin was born in Avenstoke, KY to Roy Vernon Riley Sr. and Florence Ethel Greene. He was a member of First Baptist Church on St. Clair in Frankfort and pastored churches in Ohio, Texas, and Kentucky. Mr. Riley was a mastercrafter wood worker. 

Mr. Riley was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings. He is survived by his wife, Betty Lane Riley, Frankfort; daughters, Marian Lane (Richard) Graham, Louisville, and Lois (Richard) Summers, Frankfort; five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Matt, David, and Deborah Graham, Stephen Summers, and Jenni and Jeremy Shannon.