Tuesday, January 24, 2017
It was a pleasure to be friends with Grant. He always greeted everyone with a big "HELLO". I always greeted him with a hug. One day a few years ago, my husband and another couple, the Buckways, and I drove him down to Hinckley to see some of the places he talked about as a youngster. It was such an exciting adventure!! He showed us the canal where he was baptized and the bridge that his mothers carriage fell in when she was pregnant with him. The doctor had told her the baby hadn't survived.....but then, there came Grant anyways. He showed us where his house stood and where Lola dawn lived. Where his grandparents lived and the school building he went to, which was abandoned, but still standing. He showed us the WWII memorial stone in the park that had his and his. Either a named infraves on it, along with all the young men of that era. Oh, the wonderful stories he would telllof his live intrigued us as we listened to him talk. He showed us his first job at a gas station. Randy Buckway put together a book with pictures and memories of grant and gave us each one. What a treasure!!!!!
I used to come and visit every week,and one time they said they wish they could go to the temple but it was so hard to park and get up to door and get Ann situated. I told them I would love to just go with them and then I could just drop them off at the door. We went to the Jordan river temple every Thursday and do a session. Those were some of the most special times of my life. One time they asked me and Grant to be the witness couple. It really was a special opportunity for me. When Ann was getting too frail, he would dress her in her whites, and I would get her into a wheel chair, go park, and push her through. They were both so faithful and we did this for about 8 months.
I was with him when he tripped while out walking and fell on his face. The ambulance was called because it was a pretty bad fall. I met him at the ER. I told the Dr when they were about to release him that I wondered if he had whip-lash. After taking a neck X-ray, found out he had a broken neck and a twist one way or the other would have either cut off his breathing or made him paralyzed. What a blessing to have listed to the spirit that day. We had no idea.
He was my friend and confidant at times. I loved to talk to him about 'life' and he always gave me positive loving council. When I was the gospel doctrine teacher, I had asked him to sing "I walked today where Jesus walked". It was one of the highlights of my 3 years of teaching that class. I was moved to tears. He had a magnificient voice that emulated his testimony of the Savior.
Those in our ward remember him singing "I know that my redeemer lives " in testimony meeting and sitting down. Every Sunday during spring and summer and fall, Grant carried up a vase of freshly cut flowers out of "Ann's Garden" for everyone to enjoy. After that meeting,he would take the vase into Sunday school and Relief Society. When Ann passed away, he gave me a framed picture of Ann's pressed flowers with a label on it; "Ann's Garden". Even though they didn't feel well, they rarely missed church. And rarely missed all three meetings. That always struck me so sweetly that they were always happy to honor the sabbath and keep it holy.
I could write book about how I feel about Grant Reeve. May he be eternally happy and forever know how much I love him. Until we meet again dear friend!!! I can't wait to hold your hand and give you a hug again!!!
