The Eulogy of  Ramos Hernan - Eulogy for a Grandfather - Eulogy by a  Grandson

Ramos Hernan
 
          I’d like to start off by thanking everyone for coming today. These past three months, since grandpa got ill, have been difficult for the entire family. All of your thoughts and prayers and calls have been so helpful. Thank you.
 
          My grandfather (OUR grandfather – I think there are 22 grandkids if I counted everyone) – Our grandfather was one of the most important people in our lives. There wasn’t anyone quite like him. His sense of humor, his optimism, his integrity, his ability to set goals and reach them, his always believing there is a solution for any problem in life, changed all of our lives. He challenged us to be the best people we could possibly be, to give everything worth doing 100%. For him, nothing was ever impossible. How many people do you know like that?
 
          I had the unique opportunity, when I was young, to live with grandpa and grandma in El Paso. He tried to teach me Spanish. He succeeded, to some extent, but over the years it has all faded into a kind of ‘Spanglish’ that he’d probably shake his head at now. We used to go to BINGO with them. We loved that. He would sometimes buy the machine and would get mad when he didn’t win. He thought that should give him an edge. He’d say ‘Esta maquina no sirve.’ Or we’d go when they played cards. I remember so well getting into trouble for being at the table.
 
But we all know what happened as we got older, don’t we? We’d play cards with grandpa and he LOVED taking our money. When it came to playing cards, it didn’t matter who you were or how much he loved you, he’d take you for all you had if he could. We loved playing 31. “Voy a halajar el dos” he’d say. He knew he’d be getting the 2 card sooner or later, no doubt just when he needed a high card to avoid losing. He lost his share of the time, but beating us was always his goal – and his joy…
 
          He also liked to take your money betting on football. He felt that putting a bit of a wager on games made them more interesting and fun. Again, his goal was to win and when he beat you and took your money he always did it with a smile – no regrets that you lost. He loved it! Grandpa loved to laugh and see others laughing. He was, really, quite the jokester. His sense of humor brought joy any time he was around.
 
          And I suppose none of us will ever hear the phrase ‘mi honey’ without thinking of grandpa. That was what he called grandma (and she him). They were married for more than 70 years. They, no doubt, had some rough times in their seven decades together but they were always, to everyone who saw them, so much in love that their relationship was an inspiration. They knew how to love one another through good times and bad, through disagreements and hardships and times of joy. They saw two of their children pass – Armando and Alicia – and were devastated, but their strength gave everyone else strength… He grieved their loss to the very end.
 
          Someone asked me how many great grandchildren they had. I couldn’t count them all… LOTS! I’d like to say something to all you great grandkids: You have had the privilege of knowing GREAT grandparents. That’s a rare thing. Sometimes the language barrier got in the way, but grandpa and grandma truly loved each and every one of you. The days on which you were born were among the most joyous of their lives… If you will take some of the qualities you’ve seen in your dear grandfather – his deep faith, his kindness, his pride in his heritage, his optimism and his commitment to always doing the right thing – and cultivate those qualities in your own lives – you will be truly blessed… and in doing so, he will live on in you.
 
          Grandpa was in heaven when the whole family was together – or as many of us as could get together in one place at the same time, for birthdays or anniversaries or weddings or holidays... He’d look at his kids and their children and THEIR children and know that life is good. He knew that he had been blessed with family and people in his life that he truly loved.
 
          Grandpa was a mentor to so many of us. We watched him, consciously or unconsciously, and picked up on who he was and how he lived life and what his values were. Most of us who knew him well can see, in our own lives, how he ‘rubbed off’ on us. My dad (Raul) is a prime example. Dad loved helping grandpa with the maintenance of his lawn – mowing and watering the grass, planting and tending to the flowers, pruning the bushes and trees… just being outdoors and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and helping to tweak it to make it even more beautiful. And Grandpa’s love for being out there, tending to lawns, planted the seed for that kind of work in dad… and every day he loves what he does. Each of us who loved him can see a little part of grandpa in our lives…
 
          Grandpa was a devout Catholic. When he lived in El Paso he attended ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ church. Here in California he attended ____________. He loved the mass and the homilies and the people he met. He loved the God who had walked with him all his life and watched over him and blessed him.
 
          Grandpa was very proud of the work he did for over thirty years at the Sanmina Corporation. His job was to print circuit boards. He liked the work well enough but what he really enjoyed were the friends he made there: Tony and Hank and Mr. Moonie, Mr. Yuriola, the owner, Susan and Barbara. They enriched his life and I’m sure he enriched theirs with his sense of humor and how he was able to always spark a conversation with anyone at any time. Working at Sanmina allowed him to provide a great life for grandma and their growing family.
 
          Grandpa was 92. He saw a lot in the course of his life. He was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. He became a citizen (one of the proudest days of his life) and worked diligently. He raised a family and owned properties. He was dearly loved by so many people. He was the kind of man all of us would want to emulate and be like. He was a unique child of God and his life will go on in each of us.
 
          Grandpa, we loved you. You were SO special to everyone you met. We will never forget you and we will forever hold a place for you in our hearts. Rest in peace, dearest of men.




           
 
           Eulogy for a grandfather... Eulogy by a Grandson