What did YOUR grandfather do?

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mikiemo83 on 01-24-2008 at 11:56 AM said:
I agree, it is too bad we do not spend time learning from the elderly, I go visit my Dad these days, He is in rehab trying to get his legs back under him, and I sit and talk to all the patients. I think I can learn more from listening to them for a couple hours than I could reading for a week.

it is a shame that elderly are pushed to the side, these men and women gave their all so we can live in the world we do with the luxuries we have and many times they are just forgotten, shoved into a corner to look out the window as the world passes them by
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I worked in a nursing home when I was a kid. It was facinating (and sad) at times. I heard stories about the Boer War in S. Africa, the Spanish American War, and even the Spanish Civil War from a volunteer. People liked to talk about what happened in their youth. One lady w/dementia always thought I was a traffic cop on Moody Street Waltham while I was mopping the floor. She would breathlessly tell me about a jewelry store robbery that she thought was actively taking place on Moody Street that must have actually taken place in the twenties or thirties. It was sad but interesting that she was reliving that incident just about everyday. I used to think about researching jewelry store robberies on Moody Street to see what really happened.
 
Wow, what a great thread! I just spent to way to long reading through all of it! But I enjoy the history of it.....

My paternal grandfather was a dairy farmer, his father (my great grandfather) had come over from the Netherlands, bought some land, and raised dairy cattle. I remember "milk trucks" coming to the farm as a kid. His wife, my paternal grandmother was a teacher, but after she married she stopped working to raise their 4 children. My father was actually the "milkman" for the farm when he was first married, and I was a young child, delivering the glass bottles of milk to homes in the area (remember the ones with the paper tops? Or am I just old?)

My maternal grandfather worked in a textile mill in Mass, my grandmother rised 5 children- 4 boys and then 12 yrs later, a girl, my mother. Can you imagine supporting a family of 7 on one salary now?
 
I've already listed what my paternal grandfather did.

My maternal grandfather was part of the Invasion of Italy in '43, had awesome stories about it, real front lines stuff (he was a Ranger and a paratrooper). He worked at Songo Shoe (those of you from Maine will know who they were, I used to get free Herman Survivors every couple years while I was a kid, still the best boots I've ever owned) for 40 years.
 
lets see..
paternal GD,
Played 20 years in the majors pitching for the cards and pirates.
first ball player to wear glasses and hence the nickname specs.
Pitched 2 world series one in 1927. (lost his games but they won and he got them there being the ace that year..then again he faced murders row). I read he used to go to the plate umpire and asked him if he wanted to borrow his glasses:) Had a nasty curve ball.
Was a pauper after baseball eventually paralyzed from a stroke.

Maternal GD.
Also a pitcher. Not that famous..a relief pitcher on the same team. ( I bet thats how my parents met;-) Served as a cook on a naval ship in WW1. Later became a sheriff in Lake Co, Fla and was in on the capture of the famous outlaw Ma Barker. Then sold real estate and died of cancer.

my dad was a combat pilot in the Flying Tigers (non avg) in WW2 china.

me? eh.......:)
 
Welll...

My grandfater was a WWII veteran, pretty high ranked in the military.

Later he got a high position with the Boston Globe. He was very involved with politcs. My mother met Billy Bulger, some of the Kennedy family. My grand father was irish, so like any Irish politicial figure he was involved in the Kennedy election.
 
A little nostalgia....this is the wagon train done by Rex Trailer in support of the ARC, which my grandfather was a founding member of.

My grandfather told me that he often played bridge with Rex at night when they stopped.

This is a great video to watch anyway, if you are a local, remember the old Rex Trailer show, and remember the original Shopper's World...:D

http://www.rextrailer.tv/
 
My grandfather was born in Russia. Had to move to Canada to flee the death camps.

He was a farmer in the bitter cold winterland of NE Montana.

He worked his ass off like most generations before us.

He retired to Phoenix in the 70's.

He passed away in Yuma a few years ago.

My grandmother was a house wife that worked equally as hard raising 8 children.

On my mom's side... Similar story, but instead they are still alive and retired from farming.

They raised 5 children.

I worked my ass off fulltime since I was 13 years old. I had a fulltime job (other than school) the day I turned 13.

Now, I am wiser. I still work hard... but, I take plenty of time off as well.
:clap:
 
1 was a fireman and was eventually the chief of the Boston Fire Department. Died before I was born.

I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know what the other one did, but he was really grumpy so I probably didn't care if/when someone told me.

They were both in WWII.
 
He ran a bar/tavern in Webster Mass called Andy's and he played minor league baseball. Also served in the marines

he is still living and walks daily after four heart attacks. Still trucking past eighty
g
 
Never met either of my grandfathers. My dad's dad died of a stroke when he was in his mid-50's. My mom's dad immigrated to the States from County Kerry in Ireland and passed the year before I was born.

Unfortunately, irony is hitting close to home as my son never met his grampy :(
 
3 Point Stan said:
Never met either of my grandfathers. My dad's dad died of a stroke when he was in his mid-50's. My mom's dad immigrated to the States from County Kerry in Ireland and passed the year before I was born.

Unfortunately, irony is hitting close to home as my son never met his grampy :(
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that sucks, mine never met my mom and ask why I only have a dad so I hung a picture up so they can see my mom that way
 
Cool thread.

My maternal grandfather worked for the railroad as a conductor. He died when I was 6 so I have few memories of him. My mom tells me he was one mean and nasty SOB, he didn't hesitate to beat her and her siblings if they got out of line. In photos he sure looks like a nasty fellow, just the look in his eyes. On the other hand he and grandma managed to raise 9 kids in the heart of the great depression, so they musta done something right. My mom has many stories of those times. We don't know how good we got it.

My paternal grandfather was a coal miner in Pennsylvania. He was injured in the mines and was passed over for WW1 service. He eventually recovered and became a lineman for the electric company in the 20s. He lived a long life, I remember he died the day Bobby Orr scored the famous goal to win the Stanley cup. He was skilled in the art of calligraphy. I have a card upon which he wrote my name in fantastic flowing script. I don't know where or how he acquired that skill, it seems strange for a miner /lineman to have a hobby like that.
 
One of my grandfathers was a house painter and the other was a chauffeur, but mostly they just drank a lot.
 
A meat cutter.

I assume most of these jobs are now done by machines...
 
my paternal grandfather was a long shore man, enough said. my maternal grandfather owned a car dealership way back. my maternal grandmother was an RN and my paternal grandmother worked in filenes basement.
 
One of my Grandfathers worked down the coal mines of South Wales, no idea what the other did, never got to meet either of them but started to delve into the "family tree", not found any cut throats or pirates yet but gone into it with an open mind.

One of my grandmothers worked in the munitions factories again the other..no idea!
 
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