For those of you who haven't already heard, David's beloved grandfather passed away on Christmas morning. Samuel and I arrived in Atlanta in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve, and we were able to visit with him during one of his last wakeful periods. He laughed, made jokes and played with the baby, and then he went back to sleep. He died peacefully, in his sleep, between 4 and 5 a.m.
Raymond Rother Ivey was faithful, patriotic, and devoted to his family. He was spirited, sly and quick with a joke. I never heard him raise his voice in anger, and he never let an opportunity pass by to let the people in his life know what they meant to him. He was the anchor of his family, and he loved his wife in a way that we rarely see in this world anymore. As one of the strongest guiding influences in David's life, he showed him what it means to be a man and how to treat a woman. I will always be grateful to him for that.
During his funeral service, there was time set aside for anyone who wanted to say a few words to remember him. I wanted to get up to say something, but grief swelled up in my throat. Had I been able to speak, I would have said that Granddaddy Ivey meant the world to me. He welcomed me into his family with open arms, and I loved him like he was my own grandfather. He inspired me with his devotion to his family, his love of his country, and his unwavering faith in God. I hope and pray that I will be able to live my life and raise my son in a way that would make him proud.
He was a truly great man. I miss him already.
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