Edward H. Diesing: 1927 - 2011
My beloved Grandpa Diesing passed away on Dec. 2. I wrote this eulogy for him and was honored to read it at his funeral.
The Grandpa I knew was a reserved, quiet man who was happy to listen and observe. However, he was never short on offering wisdom when the time was right.
His lessons were as brief as advising me to keep a diary at the age of seven, so I could look back on my life later and remember it, he said. Later, as I grew up, he regularly emphasized the importance of an honorable work ethic.
Grandpa had a very fine-tuned sense of wrong and right, and he took effort to see that we understood their importance. It seemed that he was not nearly as concerned with my and my brother and sister’s superficial successes as much as he cared about who we were becoming as people.
I always was secretly confused as to how my Grandpa, who I rarely saw beyond the walls of his home, had so much confidence in who I was.
My Grandpa seemed to get a certain kind of joy out of his children and grandchildren, and I’m being honest when I say that joy was inspiring and at times infectious. I loved him for the simple ways in which he relished his life: his two helpings of desserts, his reliable comfort in beer and a football game, and his interest in our character development.
From what I’ve been told, my Grandpa was a self-made man who embraced hard work and responsibility. He carved out a life for his family. He adopted my father and loved him. He had a son with my Grandma: my Uncle Nick, whom he loved and lost after 27 years.
I was told that my Grandpa was one a graceful dancer and a pillar of physical strength. He beat multiple strokes and plethora of physical ailments with defiance. For years, he lived his life the way he pleased, when others might have been seriously hindered by these setbacks.
Grandpa also had a way of speaking bluntly and deliberately. He did not mince words. This endeared him to me most. He had an even way of looking at people, as if he held them all to the same standard. And, even though my Grandpa reserved an unforgettable sweetness for me, this generally equal treatment is how I knew he was truly a good man.
Grandpa, you were never lacking in kindness, concern, and a vested interest in my character. I’m thankful for your pride in me and your belief in my potential. I love you and will always miss you.
