For Grandpa

Well readers, I just received the news that my Grandfather Leonard "Bob" Hertz passed away. My cousin wrote a small note in his honor and I think it really does my Grandpa justice so I'm putting it up there. I also had cheese with my Apple Pie because as you all know, "A pie without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze". Here is the email given to the family by my cousin Eric:

I just learned about the death of my Grandfather, Leonard B. Hertz, this morning. I wanted to write a little post-mortem praise, maybe some anecdotal evidence and tell some others about who he was. The best word to describe him is Ornery: stubborn but with a purpose. The G-Kids called him Grandpa Bob, and he was funny. Never passing up a chance for his cheese filled jokes, slick inserts into conversations, or long booming laugh. We called him Bob because he decided that as his grandkid base kept growing he might forget a name or two, so he started calling every Grandkid by incorrect names at all times. Oh he knew our names, as every good disciplinarian needs to when you've got trouble makers like me around the house, but he mis-named us out of love (and with a never hesitant crooked smile). This doesn't seem to matter quite as much as it was fun, and the back and forth from us and the scowls from Lorraine, my grandmother, always kept things light.

He had a storied life and I get to hear little bits of it from my Grandmother now and again, but lets say this, he fought in WWII, where he was in a Foxhole for 90 Days at Anzio, had his foot almost blown off, decided to go into horticulture. Worked on specialties of apples and berries for many years as the Extension Horticulturist at the University of Minnesota. Check that out, he wrote about berries and stuff, (attached) and now they go in my Oatmeal.

The important thing is that Leonard, (Bob), is probably where I get my sense of humor. Of course you have to be smart to make fun of people all the time while conveying love to them, as much as my mother Linda or my Grandmother admonished him while doing it "Now, Leonard!...". I can still hear my Grandma's sigh as he puttered around with anything and everything. Putter is a good term to how he was always involved in things, well, as long as Bonanza wasn't on. More than once I saw him yelling at the TV for the boys to "GET 'IM, GET 'IM!"

Yes, I like to think I'm funny, nay, comical. But he got people laughing early, and he might have just picked up a Trombone whilst doing it. (I used the "whilst" cause he was smart and whilst sounds smart, it's a respect thing). Bob's gone now but I heard one of the recent things he said was make sure Grandma's not out in the Wilderness, (he probably pictured her forging for berries). He was a caring man and loved Lorraine all his life. Probably in his "Swooping Bald Eagle under a Full Moon" sweatshirt and red flat-billed trucker hat. Truth being, I think he kept the Wilderness going, and I'm sure Bear Grylls will consult this guide if ever he does an episode in the Land of ten thousand lakes. There's lots of things to say but I think this is what I liked most.

I just wanted to share a bit. Yes he probably knew my name, but he also knew how to make us all laugh. He's totally riding off into the Bonanzan Sunset right now.

EP

Thanks Eric!