My Grandpa Webb passed away on January 9, 2010. He was such a great Grandpa and wonderful friend to so many people. One thing that was a bit ironic when all of this happened is that Kevin graduated from the Marines at Parris Island on January 15th and my Grandpa also graduated from the Marines on Parris Island on January 15th. It was sad having to tell my brother the news the day before he graduated, but we all were still able to celebrate the life my Grandpa had and Kevin's new phase in life.
Just about every year since we moved to Miami Grandpa Webb drove all the way down from Ohio just to come visit us, stopping along the way to see other family and friends. His last visit down here was March 2008. My Grandma passed away when I was 16. He was a very active man. He loved to golf, bowl, travel and hunt. He loved to meet new people. He had deer heads and antlers on the walls of his house and golf balls in every nook and cranny. He lived in the same house for a million years and I spent lots of time there while I was growing up. He had the coolest attic full of crazy painted walls and fun things to dig through. He had the loudest, most contageous laugh.
Everyone says that he was lucky. He died doing something he loved to do. While out hunting with my Uncle Roy he had a heart attack. The best part of the story is that I know he is in heaven and I will see him again one day.
My Grandpa's salvation story is a very cool one. My dad got saved when he was 19. My Grandpa and Grandma Webb were never much for church, and my dad got saved playing for a church basketball team. My dad almost immediately went into ministry. He was an associate pastor at a large church for over 25 years and is an Ordained minister. He has been a senior pastor at a church for almost 7 years. But growing up even though we lived in the same town, my Grandpa would only ever come to church to see us in Christmas plays or special events. Until 4 years ago when he had his first heart attack and they had to shock him back to life. After that he gave his heart to the Lord, began regularly attending a church, and was a new man. What an awesome testimony. I can remember praying for my Grandpa to get saved even when I was little. How awesome to know that those prayers were heard. It is never too late, there is never a situation that is hopeless. If you have loved ones that you are praying for, do not stop!
My Grandpa will be missed. He had 3 children, 9 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren (Chase Webb will make 18).
Just about every year since we moved to Miami Grandpa Webb drove all the way down from Ohio just to come visit us, stopping along the way to see other family and friends. His last visit down here was March 2008. My Grandma passed away when I was 16. He was a very active man. He loved to golf, bowl, travel and hunt. He loved to meet new people. He had deer heads and antlers on the walls of his house and golf balls in every nook and cranny. He lived in the same house for a million years and I spent lots of time there while I was growing up. He had the coolest attic full of crazy painted walls and fun things to dig through. He had the loudest, most contageous laugh.
Everyone says that he was lucky. He died doing something he loved to do. While out hunting with my Uncle Roy he had a heart attack. The best part of the story is that I know he is in heaven and I will see him again one day.
My Grandpa's salvation story is a very cool one. My dad got saved when he was 19. My Grandpa and Grandma Webb were never much for church, and my dad got saved playing for a church basketball team. My dad almost immediately went into ministry. He was an associate pastor at a large church for over 25 years and is an Ordained minister. He has been a senior pastor at a church for almost 7 years. But growing up even though we lived in the same town, my Grandpa would only ever come to church to see us in Christmas plays or special events. Until 4 years ago when he had his first heart attack and they had to shock him back to life. After that he gave his heart to the Lord, began regularly attending a church, and was a new man. What an awesome testimony. I can remember praying for my Grandpa to get saved even when I was little. How awesome to know that those prayers were heard. It is never too late, there is never a situation that is hopeless. If you have loved ones that you are praying for, do not stop!
My Grandpa will be missed. He had 3 children, 9 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren (Chase Webb will make 18).
with McKenna
with Kourtney
At Islamorada Fish Co.
His last visit to Miami in 2008
Helping us stuff Easter eggs at church one year!
Out to eat with the Johnson clanHere is a poem my dad wrote for the funeral:
I’M IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
DAD WAS CONNECTED, FRIENDLY AND FUN
HE’S GONE ON TO HEAVEN HIS RACE HAS BEEN WON
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST HE GOT ALL HE COULD GET
HE PREPARED HIS LIFE WELL AND NOW HE IS SET
HIS NEIGHBORS ON COUNTWAY SAW HIM MOST OF ALL
WHEN THEY NEEDED HIS HELP ALL THEY DID WAS CALL
NO MORE HELPING THE NEIGHBORS OR PUSHING THE PLOW
DON’T WORRY ABOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
HE WAS A GOOD BROTHER HE CARED FOR YOU MUCH
NO ONE WAS LIKE HIM FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH
YOU KNEW HIM THE LONGEST YOU HAD LOTS OF FUN
YOU HEARD HIM SAY OFTEN GOODBYE GOTTA RUN
HE WAS ALWAYS GOING SOMEWHERE HAD SOMEONE TO MEET
CAUSE HIS FAMILY CONNECTIONS MADE HIS LIFE SO SWEET
TO THE GUYS ON THE GOLF COURSE WHO TRIED TO BEAT HIS SCORE
HE BEAT YOU SO OFTEN BUT YOU CAME BACK FOR MORE
HE’S DROPPED THE BIG PUTT AND LET OUT A WOW
DON’T WORRY ABOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
OF GRANDKIDS AND GREAT HE WAS SO VERY PROUD
HE COUNTED THEM OFTEN AND WAS THANKFUL OUT LOUD
HE’D WANT YOU ALL NAMED SO THIS I WILL SAY: BILLIE JO, BRANDON, BRIANNE, BRYNNAE, BRITTANY, BROOKE, KELLY, KEVIN, MICHELLE, KAMDEN, KYLAR, KALLIE, KINZIE, KOURTNEY, MCKENNA, BLAKE, DEVIN, EVAN, CHRISTINA, ELIZEBETH, CHRISTOPHER, SIERRA, COREY, CONNER, MAREK, JAYDN
AND ONE ON THE WAY
A FATHER OF THREE FOR WHOM HE DID HIS BEST
HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR US NOW HE’S TAKING HIS REST
HE HOPES WE’LL REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD
DON’T FORGET HE’S WITH JESUS SO DON’T BE SO SAD
THERE’S MUCH TO HIS STORY SO MUCH TO TELL
HE SET US ALL AN EXAMPLE FOR LIVING LIFE WELL
BUT HIS JOURNEY HAS ENDED --- HE’S TAKING HIS BOW
DON’T WORRY BOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
I’M IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
DAD WAS CONNECTED, FRIENDLY AND FUN
HE’S GONE ON TO HEAVEN HIS RACE HAS BEEN WON
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST HE GOT ALL HE COULD GET
HE PREPARED HIS LIFE WELL AND NOW HE IS SET
HIS NEIGHBORS ON COUNTWAY SAW HIM MOST OF ALL
WHEN THEY NEEDED HIS HELP ALL THEY DID WAS CALL
NO MORE HELPING THE NEIGHBORS OR PUSHING THE PLOW
DON’T WORRY ABOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
HE WAS A GOOD BROTHER HE CARED FOR YOU MUCH
NO ONE WAS LIKE HIM FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH
YOU KNEW HIM THE LONGEST YOU HAD LOTS OF FUN
YOU HEARD HIM SAY OFTEN GOODBYE GOTTA RUN
HE WAS ALWAYS GOING SOMEWHERE HAD SOMEONE TO MEET
CAUSE HIS FAMILY CONNECTIONS MADE HIS LIFE SO SWEET
TO THE GUYS ON THE GOLF COURSE WHO TRIED TO BEAT HIS SCORE
HE BEAT YOU SO OFTEN BUT YOU CAME BACK FOR MORE
HE’S DROPPED THE BIG PUTT AND LET OUT A WOW
DON’T WORRY ABOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
OF GRANDKIDS AND GREAT HE WAS SO VERY PROUD
HE COUNTED THEM OFTEN AND WAS THANKFUL OUT LOUD
HE’D WANT YOU ALL NAMED SO THIS I WILL SAY: BILLIE JO, BRANDON, BRIANNE, BRYNNAE, BRITTANY, BROOKE, KELLY, KEVIN, MICHELLE, KAMDEN, KYLAR, KALLIE, KINZIE, KOURTNEY, MCKENNA, BLAKE, DEVIN, EVAN, CHRISTINA, ELIZEBETH, CHRISTOPHER, SIERRA, COREY, CONNER, MAREK, JAYDN
AND ONE ON THE WAY
A FATHER OF THREE FOR WHOM HE DID HIS BEST
HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR US NOW HE’S TAKING HIS REST
HE HOPES WE’LL REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD
DON’T FORGET HE’S WITH JESUS SO DON’T BE SO SAD
THERE’S MUCH TO HIS STORY SO MUCH TO TELL
HE SET US ALL AN EXAMPLE FOR LIVING LIFE WELL
BUT HIS JOURNEY HAS ENDED --- HE’S TAKING HIS BOW
DON’T WORRY BOUT GENE HE’S IN THE CLUBHOUSE NOW
1 comment:
What a beautiful tribute to your Grandpa Webb. -Mom
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