While they were here we also visited Ryan’s parents, Roy made sure they had plenty of plants, seeds, and nuts to take back with them, they rode with us twice a day to care for Ryan’s cousins puppy dog, they helped us work in the yard and plan our summer vegetable garden. . .

They kept us busy!!

We really loved having them up to visit and hope they come again soon!!!

I took this photo of them as they were leaving Sunday morning:

Aren’t they the cutest couple!

Hazel P. Mongold

Hazel Pauline Rittenour Mongold, 84, of Timberville, died March 13, 2010, at Life Care Center of New Market.

Mrs. Mongold was born June 7, 1925, in Mathias W.Va., and was the daughter of the late Oliver and Bliss Snyder Rittenour.

She had worked for WLR in Timberville.

On April 5, 1947, she married Russell Ward Mongold, who died June 16, 2000.

Surviving are three sons, Donald Mongold, of Coles Point, Va., John Mongold, of New Market, and Tony Mongold, of Baltimore Md.; five daughters, Juanita Swartz, of Dayton Va., Joyce Jackameit, of Staunton Va., Mary Wilson and Bonnie Moore, both of Timberville, and Donna Fadely, of Mount Jackson; one sister, Della Miller, of Mathias; one brother, Will Rittenour, of Sacramento Calif.; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Dean Williams will conduct a funeral service 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, 2010, at the Mathias Mennonite Church near Mathias, W.Va. Burial will be in the Cullers Run Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Grandle Funeral Home in Broadway, Va.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Broadway Rescue Squad, P.O. 666, Broadway VA 22815.

Online condolences may be sent to www.grandlefuneralhome.com.

My Grandma was an amazing woman, who truly loved her family.

7 of her 8 Children:

10 of her Grandchildren:

8 of her Great-Grandchildren:

It has been two months since my Pawpaw’s funeral, as a reminder of him, I have posted the video we played at his funeral.

I think it is beautiful.

We will always miss you Pawpaw.

Here is one of my favorite photos from the roof shoveling:

This is Ol’ Roy supervising the roof shoveling.

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!

Christmas Day 2009

In the Front: My sister, Courtney, Mama, and Me

In the Back: My brother-in-law, Sean,  Daddy, and Ryan

Courtney, Sean and Dante, on a boat ride on Christmas morning.

Ryan and I snuck down and were able to see him Yesterday!

Happy 80th Birthday Pawpaw!

The came bearing gifts!  They brought us: home-canned good (including pickles and fig preserves), a cookbook, and a birthday card with money in it!

And they were just in time for dinner!

Ryan’s parents came over to join us and we had a great dinner comprised,almost 100 %, of vegetables from our garden, and followed by some yummy blueberry cobbler.

Afterward we sat in the kitchen for hours talking.

We had a great evening! I hope they come visit again soon!

From left to right Karen, Stevie, Juanita (Ryan’s Mom), Juanita (My Grandma), yep, we have two Juanita’s, and my Grandaddy.

(Somehow Ol’ Roy managed to dodge the camera!)

Nope, here he is!

Hiding. . .

The next morning Grandma, Grandaddy, Stevie and Karen were off on a relaxing 9-Day New England cruise.

They had a good time (Grandaddy let me know in the comments on this post: here).

This is one of my favorite photos of him: