In Memory Of...

Matt's Grandpa Rosecrans passed away on May 12th 2011. We were lucky enough to have been able to visit him just the month before. Grandpa Red was a man of great strength, both physically and spiritually. It was hard to see him over the last few months in the state that he was in. I will always remember the time that Grandpa taught Matt and I a great lesson. We were at the airport picking up him and Grandma. We were walking out and Matt was walking a head of me. Grandpa caught up to Matt and grabbed his arm. He turned to Matt and said, "You never walk ahead of Danielle. She is your wife and you are her equal, never above her."

Grandpa always had a way to teach us in love.

Matt loves to tell stories about how strong Grandpa was. From wrestling a bear cub, to being the bear knuckle champion on his Navy boat, Grandpa was one tough man!

Rolen William Rosecrans lived in Gold Hill, Oregon on the same street his entire life. He passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at his home. He spent the early years of his life helping his mother struggle through the Great Depression. He met the love of hos life, Edro June Davis when they were young children. While we were at the funeral we learned that there was a desk found in the Gold Hill Elementary school that had a significant carving in it. The desk says, "Rolen loves Edro" We had never known about this until the day of the funeral. Grandpa had spent most of his life loving one girl and only one girl. Their love was something to behold. When Grandma got sick, Grandpa was at her side at all times. After she passed it seemed that he had lost his will to go on with out her. They are at last now together.

When we told the kids that Grandpa had died, Sami looked at us and said, "Well that's ok. Now he can be with Grandpa Red again."

We were staying in Rogue River while we were there for the funeral. The morning of the funeral we noticed that there were American Flags placed all along the Rogue River bridge. Danny, Carlie and Addie were out running and ran into the veterans that were placing the flags. Danny asked what they were doing and they told him that a local veteran had died and this was a tribute to him. The veteran they were talking about was Grandpa.

The funeral was very sweet and Grandpa was laid to rest in the Rock Point Cemetery in Gold Hill next to Grandpa and his baby daughter. The local Navy Corp played TAPS and presented the family with a flag.

Grandpa has left a great legacy for all of us to look up to. His passing signifies that end of an era for our family and he will be greatly missed.