Flashback Friday...Remembering Dad

It's been an emotional week.
As we lost Dad, there was much remembering and reflecting on his and our days with him.
I want to thank my incredible family for all the love and support we give to each other.
And we, The Vandercars want to thank our extended family and friends for the love and support you have given us.

I think Dad would have liked the service on Monday.
If you were able to make it, thank you for being there.
If you were unable to attend, here's part of our tribute to our American Hero.

NANCY:
Those of you who knew my Dad, knew that when it came to telling you how he felt, he was a quiet man of few words. It is surprising then, that the best advice that anyone ever gave me was a few words from him early on in my life.
When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I discovered among my mother’s belongings an autograph book. It was about the size of a diary or an address book and she explained that the popular thing to do was to collect your friends and family’s autographs. There were all types of cute phrases and rhymes and some people took up a whole page and some just signed their name.

I must have been impressed with this book, because I received my very own autograph book. It was red and I’m sure I carried it everywhere and to everyone…collecting thoughts, phrases and signatures. I remember my mom signed the last page: “by hook or by crook, I signed the last page in your book.” My brother, dave, prophetically signed, “Keep on Truckin’ “ and it was in this book that my dad gave me advice that I’ve used everyday of my life.
I don’t remember if this is all he wrote, but the last phrase was
“remember, a smile goes a long way.”
Now you may be wondering, really?
The man that at times could have had a starring role in the movie grumpy old men?
…giving advice about smiling?

Yes.

For as long as I can remember, no matter how rough, tough, gruff or silent my dad could be…he always followed his own advice and offered a well timed joke, silent “laugh” or a sly nod and expressed his feelings with a simple, silent smile.

SHELBY :

Our family is a circle of love and strength. With every birth and every union, the circle grows.Every joy shared adds more love. Every obstacle faced together makes the circle stronger.”

Aunt Nancy made one of her awesome videos for Grandpa for his 80th birthday…A story of his life…our American hero…
Grandpa was born in Eagle Creek township to George and Fern Vandercar on August 22, 1921.
He and his older brother Wayne were soon big brothers to their sister Gladys. If you want to know where he got his got his mischevious smile ask Aunt Glady’s to tell you some stories about growing up with Bobby! They were raised on a farm during the years of the depression and….moved from farm to farm…always in Lake County. Grandpa grew to love the land and continued to farm part time while he ran the Log Cabin gas station and fruit market.
He graduated from Lowell High School in 1939.

SHELLEY:
Grandpa joined the army when WWII broke out. He left his family and home and after basic training in the states he joined our combat forces in Germany.
Even thru the horrible experience of war, Grandpa’s letters home were always positive, telling his folks not to worry that he would be okay. Then came the awful day when George & Fern got the telegram…Bob was missing in action. He was held prisoner of war for 5 months until May 8, 1945 when he got up and the gates were open….the war was over. What a happy day that was for his family when they got the news that he was OK. Grandpa was honorably discharged and awarded two purple hearts, sharpshooter and other medals for his service.
There was not a lot to smile about during these years and Grandpa never shared much about that time with his family. He carried that mental anguish inside him as he quietly went on with his life.
Now that I am married to a soldier…I better understand the agony that Grandpa and his family went through. Our family keeps all veterans and active service men and women in our prayers today.

SARAH:
Upon returning home from the army, Grandpa’s smile returned when he began to notice sister Gladys’ best friend, Helen Jean Bryant. It was a quick courtship and they were married on November 10th, 1946…could it be? During deer hunting season???
Grandpa worked at the steel mills for a few years and they bought the Log Cabin.
They raised their six children in the house they built behind the Station.Many of you remember the Log Cabin as a meeting place where friends would stop for a coke and candy bar. Grandpa was always busy at work, but you could always count on him for a joke or a wisecrack and locals knew you could find a game of cards on Tuesday or Friday nights in the winter.
But to our aunts and uncles….Tuesday and Fridays meant “fruit nights” Grandma would yell “here comes the fruit truck” and it would be all hands on deck to unload, and sell the produce that people would be lined up to buy. Strawberries, peaches…ice cold cans of frozen fruit. Grandpa’s kids learned early on his work ethics…selling groceries, candy, and pop….watching the station so he could go eat supper….or setting up the card table in the middle of the driveway so they could all eat together.

JAMIE:
As their kids grew and married, Grandpa retired from the station.
Grandma and Grandpa got to enjoy their winters in Florida.
Wandering the everglades, fishing with Verle Little, Bob Swett and Jim Hardy became his favorite pastime. Some of the widest smile’s you’ll ever see on Grandpa’s face were when he posed for a picture with the fish he caught!
Games of shuffleboard and card games filled their days and nights.
The 14 of us grandkids liked spending time with him….exploring his basement….enjoying the wood toys he made…learning his skills of hunting and fishing…and finding the pumpkins with our names carved on them.
He was saddened as were we all, when after 53 years of marriage he lost Grandma Helen.
His love and admiration still showed on his face whenever her name was mentioned and he would talk about her strength and their lives together.

As we have grown we now have children of our own and have given him 9 great grandchildren. We have many happy memories of moving the Log Cabin for him…bringing him to Sunday night dinners….visits at the nursing home…all things that brought a smile to his face.

Grandpa is one of the last of his generation
and we are sorry that he did not get to know his newest great grandson, Drew just 6 weeks old. But by telling our stories and sharing our memories, we will keep the memory of that“greatest generation” alive and our circle will grow on.



NANCY:
I hope that this celebration of life has helped you remember the brother, the veteran, the man who pumped your gas and sold you strawberries, the deer hunter and fisherman, the friend and neighbor, the uncle, the Grandpa and finally, the Dad that Bob Vandercar was. And that even tho he may have never told us with his words, his smile told us that he loved and cared and was proud of each and everyone of us.

He was right, a smile really does go a long way.

Directions to here:
check back later for more pictures!