The Ripple Effect

I do not believe that it is possible for me to accurately reflect the profound and lasting impact that my paternal grandmother has had on my life. Suffice it to say that without her love and support I would not be the man that I am today. Without that love and support of me my young son will not become the man that he is destined to become. It was primarily by her example that I learned to love and trust God, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Flossie Aline was born on December 29, 1918, in a dugout home near Roy, New Mexico. She passed away at the ripe old age of ninety, having experienced the highs and lows that life has to offer. She was part of that generation of rugged Texans who worked hard, suffered with a quiet dignity, and appreciated those seemingly small things that many of us take for granted. She thrived under the best and worst of circumstances, appearing certain through it all that God was watching over her and those that she loved. She was ready to go home and I am grateful to God for finally letting her.

In her later years she lost both her sight and hearing, finally succumbing to complications from the Alzheimers Disease that had taken her independence and those precious memories of the man and family that she had spent her life devoted to. Until the disease made it otherwise impossible she was able to retain and exhibit a deep and humble love for God and his creation, a quality that could not help but be recognized by everyone that she came into contact with. My grandfather used to tell us that she had not in her entire life met a stranger, a fact that I believe stemmed from her almost innate understanding of the brotherhood of us all.