YAY to my Grandpa

To me he was Grandpa, his birth certificate said Oswald, but everyone knew him as Ossie. He made Ossie cool long before Ozzy decided to bite the head off a bat. 

He was a big guy with a huge heart. A lovable teddy bear who would give you a bear hug so strong it would literally take your breath away for a second. He was the type of man that would give you a sturdy handshake and treat you like a friend even though you had just met. He was a gentleman with a kind smile, a contagious laugh and a quick wit. You couldn't help but feel uplifted just by being in his presence and he definitely fed off the energy of interacting with people.

Ossie’s zest for life was incredible. When I think about trying to squeeze in all of the interests and activities he was involved in over his 80 years it’s exhausting ... and I’m only 32. He was into scouting, singing, and square dancing. He loved jazz and big band music. He played the saxophone, the recorder, and was learning the keyboard. He rowed in Hamilton Harbour, played badminton at the YMCA, did Tai Chi in the park, and swam at the Kiwanis Club. He even took ceramics and pottery classes. He was willing to give anything a try.

He was a loyal Hamiltonian who was born in a little house in the East end and lived there his entire life. He worked at Stelco for an amazing 50 years. He cheered for the Tiger-Cats and absolutely loved to explore the city. He also enjoyed the simple pleasures in life like a tall glass of chocolate milk, a slice of lemon meringue pie or a small bowl of ice cream at the end of a meal.

That last little fact leads me to the main message he would want everyone to hear. Live life to the fullest. Make time for the things you love to do and and share those moments with the people you love. There’s always room for ice cream if you just slow down and take the time to enjoy it.

So YAY to you Grandpa. You've set the bar pretty high for me but I'm going to do my best to be as great a man as you were. Rest in peace.