My Pawpaw passed away on Friday, January 1st, 2010.

At his funeral the pastor shared some memories he had with Pawpaw.

He reminded us all of how Pawpaw was always smiling. . .

My Aunt Brenda “Lunky”  read a Eulogy that reminded everyone how great of a man,  Pawpaw, her Daddy, was.  She told a few great stories, and spoke of the things he loved,  bowling, car collecting, and the color red. . .

My cousin Mary then got up and said what the rest of us, grandchildren, didn’t have the strength to say.

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Myself and Paw Paw’s other 4 grandchildren have decided to write a letter to our dear Paw Paw… I am the only one who was brave enough to stand in front of you all and read it!  Here it goes….

Paw Paw,
We got dreadful news early Friday morning… news we never wanted to hear.  Ashley and Courtney said:  It seems like just yesterday you piled up all of the leaves in your yard for us to jump off the hood of your riding lawn mower into the huge mountain of leaves laughing until our bellies hurt, or when you used to take us for walks down Robinson Road with Goldie, your golden retriever, so we could throw sticks into the pond for her to fetch and laugh at her belly flop until we couldn’t catch our breath.  Do you remember the time Robinson Road was flooded?  You found three five-gallon buckets and we splashed into the water up to our waists, with our clothes on… oh, did I mention we didn’t have a change of clothes at the house?  We swung the buckets deep down in to the water for hours catching fish after fish after fish.  After we were cold and tired you took us back to the house where Nana was waiting and she got soooooo mad at you!!!  She just couldn’t believe you took us down there and got us all wet without a change of clothes, I think she might have taken some money out of your penny jar just to spite you!  When Ashley and Courtney were little you and Nana were always waiting for them to wake up Christmas morning to see what Santa brought for them.  After they got a little older you and Grandma Shirley would come to our house to see what Santa brought us.  We all remember coming to you and Grandma Shirley’s house we looooved to play Trouble on your living room floor until we couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore.  We all loved when you would take us to Busch Gardens during the summer and watch us ride the rides and take us to shows.  You were the best baby sitter Paw Paw.  When my parents would tell us you and Grandma Shirley were coming to babysit us we knew we were going to learn how to play a new card game… you and Grandma Shirley taught us how to play 52 pick up!!!  Sometimes Nicole and I stiill make Chris Jr. play 52 pickup.  Paw Paw, you,  and Grandma Shirley were always our biggest fans.  You came to as many of our ballgames as you could.  When we would look up in the stands and see you there it would make us want to do our absolute best!  We were so proud to see our Paw Paw in the stands supporting us.  We hope you are as proud of us as we are of you.  Paw Paw, you never said much, but we know you love us and we hope you know we love you too!  We will always love you too Grandma Shirley.

Love,
Your five grandbabies: Ashley, Courtney, Nicole, Mary, and Chris Jr.

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After the Eulogy’s a slide show of great photographs of Pawpaw was played

along with Toby Keith’s “Cryin’ for me”

“Got the News on Friday morning. . .

I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you, I’m cryin’ for me.”

Ernest Lee Ward

“PawPaw”

November 7 1929 – January 1, 2010

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PawPaw’s Obituary

Ernest “Paw Paw” Lee Ward, 80, of the 700 block of Carmel Street, Virginia Beach, VA, passed away January 1, 2010, in Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.

Born in Princess Anne County, VA, he was a retired maintenance supervisor with the Chesapeake Public Schools. He is predeceased by his loving wife “Miss Mary”, and survived by his second loving wife, Shirley J. Ward. He is also predeceased by two stepsons, Ray Murphy and Bruce A. Graham; two brothers, John Ward and Vernon Ward; and a sister, Irene Hlywa. Ernest is also survived by his daughters, Annalisa “Pete” Swoope and her husband David, Brenda Lee Shipp and her husband Chris; two stepsons, Avery C. Graham and Danny R. Graham; grandchildren, Ashley Swartz (Ryan), Courtney Melehan (Sean), Nicole Shipp, Mary Shipp, and Chris Shipp, Jr.; three step grandchildren, Shane C. Graham, Blake Graham and Lark Woodgeard; four sisters, Ida Grose, Alice Wilson, Barbara Holmes, and Jane Culpepper; and two brothers, Walter Ward and Robert Ward.

A funeral service will be conducted Tuesday at 1 p.m., January 5, 2010, at Oak Grove Baptist Church, with Reverend Charles Mosley officiating. The burial will follow at Rosewood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hope Haven or a charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal.

We will always miss you Pawpaw!