Sweet Grandfather

William T. Hagan

December 19, 1918 - August 5, 2011

My grandfather passed away this morning. It was not a surprise, and I think we'd all been preparing ourselves for his passing for quite some time. Still, though, it hurts. I am teary while writing this. While searching for this picture of Lainey and her great-grandfather, many emotions surfaced and of course, it's hard to begin to put those into words. But, I will try. :)

First and foremost, W.T. (a.k.a. Tom) was a father to four wonderful children, a husband to my dear, beloved grandmother (who is currently in the hospital recovering from emergency surgery), a grandfather to seven grandchildren, and a great-grandfather to five (and a half) great-grandchildren. He's had more than ten books and numerous essays published in his lifetime, all pertaining to Native American History. He fought in WWII. He was a college professor until he the age of 75, enjoyed riding his bike, eating sweets, playing racquetball, hiking, being in the mountains, researching and writing, and traveling to historic places. He adored cats and had a weakness for strays. I will always remember a particular cat named Gato, a big gray cat that my grandparents had while living in Fredonia, New York. Gato was a very wise cat with many strong opinions; one was often told that he or she could gain insight and advice from Gato. And sometimes, that insight and advice came unsolicited. :) What we will all remember, however, is how he so loved my grandmother, whom he nicknamed "April" many, many years ago (her real name is Charlotte). She was the love of his life, the holder of his hand, the recipient of his thoughtful gifts, his constant companion. Their love was obvious to all who knew them.

Grandfather was a strong-willed man who wasn't afraid to put you in your place - and you respected him for it. For years, we vacationed with my grandparents (and parents and aunts and uncles and cousins) in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. These are undoubtedly treasured memories for me as well as the rest of our family. One summer, I think I must have been 13 or 14 years old...all-knowing and wise beyond my years. (Duh.) I remember walking down the stairs one morning, in my pajamas, to greet the family members who had gathered at our cabin to go on a hike. Well, Grandfather asked me if I was going on the hike and I retorted, "Do I look like I'm going on a hike?" (Shame on me. How awful to have said that!) Well, he retorted right back, "Honey, nobody likes a smartass." And oh, how that phrase has stuck with me for the past twenty years. It's so, so true.

I am going to miss you, Grandfather. I will treasure the hundreds of memories that I have of you. Thank you for being loyal, faithful, admirable, and honest. Thank you for being strong, courageous, and loving. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving my children. Thank you for playing with Lainey and eating pretend meals with her. Thank you for letting Walker wrap his little hand around your finger. Thank you for the countless stories you shared with us while we sat around your kitchen table. Thank you for all you have done for me, my family, my cousins and their families, and your own children and their spouses. Thank you for moving to Texas last September so that we could spend more time with you. I love you, and I'm going to miss you. Thank you for being part of my life.