Greetings & Salutations Faithful Stapleton Blog Readers
I am writing today to let you all know that Uncle Sam has passed away. He went home to be with Aunt Nancy on Fathers Day Morning about 7:00.
As I sit back and think about this I have some mixed emotions. I am of course sad that I won’t get to see or talk with him again in this life time, but I am more happy than anything. Uncle Sam always wanted to do for himself, he never wanted to be old and in need of help. As his breathing problems became worse he increasingly had to rely on his son Andy & his wife Laura who were always at his side ready to help. But I really think there has been such a weight on his heart since Aunt Nancy died that he really has just longed to be reunited with her again.
You see Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy were more grandparents to me than anything else. Bobba (that’s what we called my dad’s mom) was 75 years older than me. Although we could talk and I visited with her regularly, I never spent a lot of time with her like my other siblings. I came along so late in life that my other siblings were there to babysit me. My Grandfather on dad’s side of the family died back in the 1940’s way before I came along. On my mom’s side I never knew my grandmother she died in the 60’s. Pawpaw (mom’s dad) lived about an 1 1/2 hours away and although we went to visit I never really spent a lot of time with him I was young and had cousins to play with. Since I had siblings to watch me I never went up and stayed with him like my brother and sisters. Pawpaw died when I was in the 8th grade.
So that brings us back to Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy they were just right. Just old enough to be grandparents and up on current events enough to be fun! When I think about it that is what they really were to me. Going to their house was always free entertainment if you came out of the house not knowing where you stood with them or where they stood that was your own fault. If you did not know what they were thinking it was your own fault! If you ever left the house hungry that was most definitely your own fault! It was a house of hospitality that was always open, honest, & generally hysterical. Uncle Sam was always tinkering with something that was fun to help out with or just to watch. The man had more tools than most small governments.
I will always have fond memories of spending time up there. But I am happiest that Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy are together again. I am glad they are both at rest and I am looking forward to seeing them again one day.