Good-Bye, Grandpa

Grandpa Turley, (my mom's dad) died early yesterday morning. After his heart attack a few weeks ago, everything went down hill. He needed corrective heart surgery, but was never well enough to get it. Eventually they determined that there was no way he could live through such an invasive surgery, and no way he could live without it.
So Grandma took him home and had hospice come help. My mom and a sibling or two also headed out to Missouri to help.
The last few weeks of Grandpa's life were in pain and discomfort. But it was gradual enough that we could all say our goodbyes.
Grandpa was all good. I used to wonder why he wasn't called to be an apostle or something. He left behind his beautiful wife, 13 kids, 12 kids-in-law, 66 grandchildren, 14 (I think) grandkids-in-law, 18 great-grandchildren with 3 more on the way. And grandpa loved all of us. In fact, we he kind of made us all feel like his favorite. I don't know how he managed that with so many, but he did. I doubt there was ever anybody that didn't like my grandpa.
He was extremely faithful. One of the things he often said was, "when in doubt, leave it out." That in regards to good vs. bad. He was a true disciple of the Lord. When he felt promptings of the spirit, he acted on them, even if that meant packing up his family and moving them across country without a sure job or home.
I didn't get to see him very often in the past 13 years or so, but I love him and will miss him.

Thursday we are going to drive out to Missouri for the funeral on Saturday. We were planning on going up to Idaho for my brothers mission farewell, but the funeral takes precedence, so Jason won't actually get a farewell.

This is my grandpa, Arthur Turley, (direct descendant of Theodore Turley in church history) just before he married. He's so handsome! Like, dashing. He passed that on to many a son and grandson.
This was taken in 2006. I was pregnant with Morgan. Despite the awkward placement of my arms, I do love my grandparents!