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| Grant at Seton Place, Calgary, AB Grant, his sister Sharon and his brother, Kelvin all stauyed at this care centre at the same time. Remarkable! |
I have written elsewhere about Grant, that he was an exemplary model of a wonderful brother-in-law.
When Grant was visiting and there was work to do, Grant didn’t waste time asking what he could do.
He just pitched in and helped.
There was no directing him for he was out of the starting gate before the bell for the race was sounded.
He knew where to find a broom and sweep a floor, even if there was nothing else to do.
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| Seton news article telling that three siblings were together there. |
And floors always need sweeping.
I was 22 when I watched Grant and Elmoyne’s children one summer when they went on a small trip. I don’t know how long I stayed in Lethbridge. I do know that when I go into someone else’s home and take care of their children, I learn a lot about the parents. In their case, it would be things a person would want to have known about them.
Grant was family oriented – large family oriented. Long after his siblings were mature with families of their own, he was still looking out for them.
I don’t know who sent all of the Christmas cards. There were ones from Grant and Elmoyne, then ones from Arlan, Grant and Boyce, then cards from Grant, Ramona and family – always there were cards, and phone calls and visits.
My children may not know this, but Grant enlisted in the Second World War. He was based in Claresholm. One of his jobs was to train troops to march. March. Halt. Left, right, left, right. Grant had a voice that could be projected. Loud, but it never seemed angry. Full of verbs. Short. Precise. Commanding. Now that I say that, all of them will hear his voice and nod that yes, I am right. That would be the childhood sound of Grant’s voice to them. Come here. Sit down. Tell me what you have been up to.
And when my children were older Grant wanted to know, "What is your son’s name? What year was he born? Has he been baptized?"
He really wanted to know. And he would right to down, keep a record and then share that record with everyone.
Grant was the oldest of eight children and the last to die.
I need some quiet time to process that loss.
My surviving Johnson in-laws, Ralph Sabey, Maurine Johnson, and Virginia Johnson will know what I mean.
Arta
thanks for this. Uncle Grant. It was a gift to see him and dad and sharon together in those last years.
ReplyDeleteI loved Uncle Grant , in his senior years he would shake your hand and say, “Hi, I am Grant Johnson and I am from Barnwell, Alberta”. He took such loving care of Boyce after his good wife passed
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I think I could add, Grant cared for Boyce and at the same time Boyce was trying to care for Grant as he saw his dad age. I don't know what else to say, except that it was a privilege to watch those interactions between the two of them.
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