Saturday, March 15, 2014

Week 9 of 2014 - Favorite Relative - Andrew Anderson

As a youngster, I would have to say that my Grandpa Anderson was my favorite.  He was the Grandparent that we spent the most time with.  He was older than my Smith Grandparents by about 20 years and retired by the time I was born.  His wife (my Grandmother) died a few months before I was born.  He came regularly  to our house and stayed with us.  He would drive to Romeo from Marine City.  He always stayed at least a few days but often a week.

Grandpa Anderson holding Sharon soon after she was born in 1960

 He must have slept on the couch but it is funny that I do not remember it.  You would think that I would remember waking up and finding him there in the morning but I don't.  He went on many vacations with us, first to the cabin on Lake Huron and eventually he would go on our camping trips with us. He always had his lawn chair and would sit with us at the beach and often take his afternoon nap.


Grandpa Anderson napping on the beach - 1959  

Camping in 1962 at Vanderbilt, Michigan
 
Every afternoon in the summer, he would sit on the church pew on our porch and before long all the neighborhood kids would come gather on the porch.  He would had out fruit stripe gums to all of us.  Once the kids realized that he was visiting, it would be a daily event.  He would open as many packages as he needed to give all the kids a piece.   It always amazed me when he opened a whole box full of gum.  It always seemed that when the gum was gone it was time for him to go home.

Grandpa convincing Sharon to eat her lunch - 1962

He always brought us treats from the bakery in Marine City.  He always brought a small yellow round loaf of bread.  It made the best toast in the morning.  I loved it.  I do not know it was egg bread or potato bread.  It was sweet and quickly became my favorite.  He always brought donuts or danish too.  He and Mom ate those with coffee.

Andrew at John and Benita's for his 83rd Birthday.
 I remember in about 1965 or 1966, he would have been 82 or 83 years old, he had an accident while driving back to Marine City.  He totaled his car.  He came to a T intersection in the road and he just did not stop.  Don't know if he fell asleep or what but he ran the stop sign and careened into a ditch after mowing down the arrow sign.  He did not drive after that.  He had a couple of small fender benders before that and that was just the last straw.  After that, Mom would go get him when she could but his visits were never as frequent.

No comments:

Post a Comment