RWP. One of the greatest men I knew.

It was a Saturday morning, on August 28, 2010. Nathan and I had woken up early, we were making breakfast and starting cleaning and re-organizing our kitchen ware. I was putting some candy mints in the cupboard, and it made me think of my Grandma and Grandpa Pearts treat cupboard, it was behind the spice cupboard, giving the illusion that there was nothing else behind it. Then you found all of their goodies, Good and Plenties, Root Beer bars, and grandma's famous homemade black licories. The thought just passed my mind. Then about 20 mins later I noticed I had four missed calls from my dad, my phone was on silent. I thought that is weird. So I called back, and no response. I went on doing my thing and then like 5 mins later he called me back. I walked outside to our front walk way, which I usually don't do. My dad then told me that my Grandpa Peart had just passed away. He told me how my mom happen to be up in Randolph, Utah (where he lived) that weekend, which I recall trying to tell her not to go, she went to support her friend in a race in Bear Lake, thinking it was too far away and she is always on the go, until she insisted that she needed to see her folks, I then remember your right, you should always see them as much as you can. She was up there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday(his last day). That morning, they found a skunk, they asked my mom to shoot it, she had become too much of a city slicker my grandma says, so my grandpa got up and killed it, he was so rustic like that. Then they had their famous big cowboy breakfast with eggs, bacon, oatmeal, pancakes, toast, jam and orange juice. Then they hung around and watched Fox news, that is all my grandpa every liked to watch. Then around 6pm, they just got word that my great aunt Barbara died, my grandfather's sister-in-law, who has been a widow for 30 years. She had a bad spell a month ago and never recovered. So they talked about her funeral. So my grandmother went off about when she died and gave every delicate detail (as most women due). So my mom decided to write this all done, due to the technology age we are in, she put it in her iphone so she wouldn't loose it. She then asked her dad, he was hesitant, then was very simple. I want my oldest grandson to read the tribute to a cowboy, my three sons to talk and a couple of people to sing his favorite songs. Little did she know what foreshadowing this was to take place in a couple of hours. Since my mom was visiting she slept in the guest room, where my grandmother would sleep due to the disturbance of sleeping because my grandpa would have the TV on full blast late at night.

Early the next morning, my grandma woke up my mom at 5 AM, telling her my grandpa had a hard time breathing and his chest felt heavy, that they should go to the hospital. So my mom went to help get my grandpa dress, and he collopsed over. They hurried and tried CPR, called the paramedics and my uncle who lived next door. He came, and my other uncle, then the paramedics came to try to resisatate him back to life, but he didn't respond and they pronounce him dead from a massive heart attack early that morning.

It was hard due to not having any forewarning of his health drasitically declining, at my wedding a couple of my siblings and I mentioned how he was slowing down and looking more frail. I figure the next step would be assisted living or something. But that is how he would've wanted it, fast and easy. He was too independent to want to have someone take care of him.

When my dad told me, I too saw the signs of his health declining and even teased when we lost our Marriage Certificate from our wedding, they asked for the witnesses to resign it, that we better before he ups and dies on us.

Needless to say, I was a lot more emotional than I thought I would. He is the first person very close to me to pass on, and out of all of my grandparents, he was the one I was the closest too. When I was going through some hard times, he was always there for me, gave me blessings and talk on the phone to share his love and friendship. He was one of the most personable people I know. Every one who knew him, loved him. So friendly, outgoing, and jovial. He would laugh at things on TV that other people would think was stupid, he had such a good sense of humor.

He also loved the lord and the gospel. He served three missions with my grandma and always told me to serve a mission. He also loved life, and lived it to the fullest, he traveled and loved a good adventure whether it was the cross country wagon trail, or the fishing trip to Alaska with his sons. He also loved to look sharp and nice with his cowboy hat and boots, and he was a real cowboy, he always reminded me of John Wayne, in fact when he went to China a bunch of people had him sign an autograph saying he looked like John Wayne.

He loved his sweetheart, I have never seen a better role model in treating your spouse. He loved her and would leave her little notes saying how much he loved her. He would buy her jewelry and flowers, always take her hand and they were always together on their adventures together.

He also loved his family, he had a way of treating all of us very special, we all thought we were the favorite, he was such an example of being so generous with his heart and sincerely showing his love for his fellowmen.

And like my sister said, I hope Heaven has suspenders, he always wore them wherever he went.

Rest in Peace, Roger Willard Peart. Your legend will always live on, in our hearts and souls.