From Brett and Briita

Papa O'Neil

I wish I would have had the courage to stand up at Papas memorial. If I would have, this is what I would have said;

I am so grateful to have had 'Papa O'Neil' in my life. He wasn't my real grandpa, I was blessed to have him come with the wonderful family I married into. But you would have never been able to tell I was an 'in-law', he hugged , kissed, and told me he loved me right on down the line with his real grandchildren. He showed me what a real papa is like, and we are all so lucky to have had him in our lives.

His face beamed with pride when he spoke of each grandchild, no matter if it was his grown ones with children of their own or the little ones just starting school. He was proud of every single one for being who they are. I honestly don't think any one of us were left with a doubt in our minds that he loved us and was proud. His family was everything to him.

I am so grateful my son, Collin, got to know his great grandpa, he has been asking lately who hi will pick blueberries with now. He was papa's little buddy, and he tells me now "Papa Omeil :) was a very very good papa, huh mom?' I am deeply saddened that my daughter, Katherine, was just too young when he passed. She never had her special time to be papa's buddy. But his legacy will live on and every grandchild now and those to come, they will feel as thought they knew him because we will never stop talking of him, sharing his stories, or using his witty little quotes.

My husband, Brett, was heartbroken when he received the phone call of papa's passing. He told me later he wished he would have told papa how he truly felt about him. He was always just too embarrassed. He thought of papa as a dad to him. Big Jerry was his father figure, his role model, and the one man that was the stable rock in his life. I know there won't be a day that passes that Brett's heart won't ache for his grandpa. But papa knew how Brett felt because I had told his mother and everyone in our family knows when a nice tidbit like that is shared:)

One last thing, people have always called Brett and I 'mini Jerry and Karen' because we always bicker! I guess that would be a good word, or 'push each others buttons' and we're great at it like they always were. And what I say to that now is, 'If having a partner who loves me and stands by my side for over 40 years building a beautiful family full of love and watching each of them grow into their own families and being loved by so many people comes with that title, then call us that' because I feel HONERED to have that comparison.

We all love and miss you Papa O'Neil!
XXOO Briita