Day 18: A Grief Observed...

Here is Larry, Naomi's grandfather.

Yesterday, Naomi's grandfather passed away.

We are all sad, but glad that he has gone to a better place.

In honor of Larry (Alex's Dad), I am including a paragraph that Benjamin wrote about his grandfather in a recent essay:

Honoring veterans could range from saying, “thank you” to volunteering time at a veterans hospital. One way I have honored a veteran is by asking my grandfather about his experiences in the Vietnam War. He enjoys telling me stories of the heroism and tragedy during his three tours of duty. My favorite story is of how he earned his Bronze Star. While under heavy enemy artillery fire, he could have retreated with his unit. Instead, he stood his ground and radioed in the coordinates of the enemy positions enabling the US artillery to eliminate the enemy artillery batteries.

Here is his Obituary in the Oregonian:

Laurence Charles Baxter
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Oregonian

A service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008, in Willamette National Cemetery for Laurence Charles Baxter, who died Dec. 17 of kidney disease at age 68.

Laurence Charles Baxter was born Oct. 20, 1940, in Torrington, Wyo., and raised in Kalispell and Columbia Falls, Mont. He served three tours of duty in the Army in the Vietnam War and received a Bronze Star for Valor. He moved in 1974 to Portland, where he worked for Multnomah County for 29 years, most recently as a project manager. In 1982, he married Sheryl Funkhouser.

Survivors include his wife; sons, Alexander V. Baxter and Charles R. Baxter; stepdaughter, Juliette C. Soihl; and two grandchildren.

So long, Larry. It was a good ride. Say hi to Frosty, dog of legend, Mae, Grandma Gail and Burrell from us all.