He Said My Name Right

Their home was so welcoming and bright.  The first time I went over to meet them I do not remember all the details but I do recall feeling right at home very quickly.  The living room at Tim’s grandparents’ home was one of my favorite places when we were first dating and it was the same spot where we opened our wedding presents.  There were always newspapers laying about and in one corner was his grandparents’ reading spot, a chair for each of them, a table in between with a lamp (that is ours now) and stacks of their readings. The pool in their backyard was a place for many summer celebrations and the room out back full of treasures left over from their former children’s bookstore.  Their kitchen was small but it did not matter, we got as many of us in there as we could when celebrating Thanksgiving, Easter or just family in town visiting.  And their beloved cat, “Bunny” was one of my favorite animals ever.  Which is saying a lot because I am decidedly NOT a cat person…

I regret that I did not take the time to just sit and talk to him more often.  Tim’s Grandfather, that is.  I did listen however, any time he spoke about anything.  I loved his voice.  And he always said my name right.  Many people in Texas like to say my name as “UH-laine”.  But he always said, “EE-laine,” just as I feel it should be pronounced.

I wish you could hear his voice, it was so good.

“Well, Hello Elaine, how are you?”  I can hear it now.  Gentle and sweet.

As he got older and older (he was 97 when he passed away last week) he said less words and could hear very few but he still always said “Hello Elaine”.  He always said my name.

 

The last time I hugged him was at Thanksgiving.  He was quiet and tired.  I regret I did not get any more photos of him with the kids, as he had already gone back to his place to take nap, when I thought of it.  But of course I have many other photos and SO many wonderful memories of him.

Gordon Teague was like a grandfather to ME, even though I was not his blood family.  I knew him for only 1/5 of his life but what I did know of him was wrapped up into a blanket of comfortable admiration.  I came into his life when his career was finished, but when his role as grandfather and great grandfather were important and it showed.  Tim and I added his fourth, sixth and eighth great grandchildren to the mix and any time they spent with him was cherished.  OH! To know your great-grandfather – how wonderful!  I hardly knew one of my grandfathers much less any greats.  I just love that my children will have memories of this man.  He was such a joy and a light and continued to play the “Hand slap” game with Ben until he couldn’t.

 

 

 

Some of my best memories will always be of him going outside to the courtyard of his retirement community (they moved from their home to an apartment in 2004 – this was a sad day for me) to fill the bird feeders and taking my children with him to do so.  He was gentle with them too.  He enjoyed photography and would often take photos at family gatherings and  send me prints in the mail, even when we still lived in Texas. He often inquired about my parents, always asking how they were doing too and I know he genuinely cared.

 

 

I know that G.G. Gordon lived a good, long life.  And I am comforted knowing he is at peace now.  But that does not mean I do not miss him.  I loved his presence at the holidays we spent back at my Mother-in-Law’s in Texas.  I loved the fact that he and his wife, Carolyn, were together for so long (married almost 75 years!).  I can only imagine how she misses him now.

If you care to read more about him, you can find his obituary here.

Or you can talk to me about him some time.

I love you, G.G. Gordon.  Thank you for loving me too and for always saying my name.