A Grand-daughter's Obituary

My grandpa passed away at 11:03 p.m. on Thursday night. It was a day full of inspiration and special memories.

I wasn't planning on going to Utah on Thursday. But after a longer and more focused-than-usual scripture study Thursday morning, I talked to my sister on the phone. She had just gotten to my grandma's house and my grandma was crying and my grandpa hadn't recognized anyone or been lucid since Monday night. And he hadn't eaten since then. Peanut's husband had taken work off to watch their kids so Peanut could be with my grandparents. I had heard that Grandpa wasn't doing well, but I hadn't realized it was that bad.

I hate driving for over an hour (particularly alone with my kids). I hate being away from my husband. I hate watching my kids without Doug and I had to cancel exciting date night plans for the following night. But I knew I needed to go to Utah, even though I thought my grandpa would be fine. He has had three close calls in the last year and I thought this would be the same way.

When I got to Utah, I left my kids with Peanut and headed over to my grandparents' home. My grandpa was just lying on the bed, not looking so good. I fed him Gatorade from a dropper and wet his mouth with a sponge-lollipop, and tried to sooth him when he got agitated. So many family members sat or stood around my grandpa and visited, aware that things weren't going so well for him.

His bible study leader came over and offered a beautiful prayer and I got to have a special conversation with my uncle about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and about our shared faith.

I went home and took a walk with Peanut and spent time with her family, and then we got a phone call from my mom, who had just gotten off the phone with my cousin Amy, a nurse. She was with my grandpa and said he was only taking about 4 breaths a minute. My mom offered to pick Peanut and I up (it was about 11 at night) so we could go back to be with grandpa. In Salt Lake and Orem, the rest of the Sheide members were also leaving their homes to come be with grandpa again. Some had literally just gotten home.

Before we all got to my grandparents' home, my grandpa passed away. Amy, who had felt impressed that she needed to get out of her evening shift to come be with grandpa, read Psalms 23 (my grandpa's favorite scripture) just before he passed away. My grandma, who had been changing into pajamas, arrived in the room just in time to see him leave his body behind.

My family members all trickled into the home after that. And we sat and cried and laughed and told stories in grandpa's room. We felt so much love and were excited for my grandpa, who is finally able to dance and sing and see and remember.

I love my grandpa, and I cherish my memories with him--particularly cuddling next to him on the couch in Minnesota as he read me story after story with great expression. Peanut and I wrote Grandpa's obituary and then left it in other peoples' hands to correct and revise as they pleased. But I love a line that Peanut wrote. "Bill had a mantra that 'everything will work out alright' and it did!" I am grateful for my grandpa.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalms 23:6).