So Long, Grandpa Halling

Jeremy's Grandpa Halling (his mom's dad) was called home on Sunday night. He was 89 years old. Now he's with his sweet wife, Faye who died 6 years ago. Ever since she passed away, he has wanted so badly to join her. He's been so sad without her. Now he's there, with his family and Grandma. I can't imagine how happy they are to be together again.

He was doing fine until suddenly last Thursday he felt faint and his feet swelled up like balloons. He went in to the Brigham City hospital on Thursday. Within a day or two, his kidneys started failing, then his other organs. We were told on Saturday that he probably wouldn't make it much longer. So we decided to go up after church on Sunday afternoon.

We're so glad we did. What a sweet experience it was. When we walked into the room, we could tell that he was on his way out of this life. He had been unconcious all day and was struggling to breathe. It was a lot for the children to comprehend, seeing their normally lively, jovial great-grandpa laying there clinging to life. Landon and Sadie hardly left his bedside the whole hour we were there. They both cried quite a bit. That's the first time they remember seeing someone so close to passing through the veil. Landon whispered in his ear that he loves him and held his hand for a while. Jeremy and I talked to him as well. Though he was unconcious, we could feel that he was listening.

Here's a picture of Grandpa with a lot of his grandkids last summer. (We weren't there.)We get together with Jeremy's cousins several times a year, because it was so important to Grandpa and Grandma Halling that we stay close as an extended family.

Our last memory of Grandpa was in January, when we stopped by his little house in Mantua on our way home from Jeremy's parents' in Cache Valley. He was sitting at his little kitchen table, reading a book, like he does much of the day. We visited with him for a while and he shared some of the things he had read in his book that he thought were interesting and important for us to know. He loved to study the gospel.

All of his local grandchildren were able to go to the hospital at some time that weekend and say their goodbyes to Grandpa. That must have been important to him because the very last one showed up just as we were leaving on Sunday afternoon and he passed away while she was there. All of his living children and their spouses were there to witness it.

A few minutes after we got home, we had just sat down at the table to eat our pot roast that had been simmering all day when the phone rang. It was Jeremy's Dad, telling us that Grandpa had just passed. Tears poured down all of our cheeks (except Bennett,who was wondering why everyone was so sad.) Even little Max cried. That was a lot for someone his age to take in, all in one afternoon. After we said our blessing on the food and thanked Heavenly Father for Grandpa's life, we all just kind of sat there. The kids were so sad, but Jeremy and I could only think about how much joy Grandpa and Grandma were experiencing at that moment. It's impossible to imagine the elation you would feel, being reunited with your soul mate after six years of seperation.

We have felt the spirit more strongly this whole week. Death is never easy, but experiencing it with someone who has lived a long, full life and is so excited for it, is truly marvelous. We are reminded in a personal way, the short length of time that we are here on earth and how close we are to the spirit world. We will be reminded of that more tomorrow as we honor Grandpa at his funeral and lay him to rest in the Mantua Cemetary.

For the past few years, he has given all of his grandchildren a nice gospel picture book for Christmas, with a hand-written letter in the front. He knew how much we would treasure this when he left this life.

This is the book that he gave us for Christmas a few months ago. It's the Story from 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, simplified, with adorable pictures of children. Here's what he wrote inside:

Dear Ones,
It is Christmas time once more. Your grandpa may not be here too many more Christmases. I feel like I'm the last leaf on the tree and the wind is blowing. Just remember I love you and I hope you do as the book says, "I will go, I will do." That is what this life is about. The Lord sent each of us here to go and do. Some do more than others in their daily life and in their spiritual life. President Kimball said "Do it." This book depicts little children, but the message is clear.
...I pray you will have the courage to go and the courage to do. May the Spriit of the Lord guide you each day of your lives. Be Happy.
Grandpa Halling
89 Years, 2008

Grandpa's Obituary