My Dad

 Some of my kids never got to know my Dad, as he passed away in 2010, but I hope I can still help them learn who their Grandpa Israelsen was, and what he meant to me.

 

One of my greatest memories is of my Dad's hands.  He had the most masculine, hard-working hands with huge fingers, that were stronger than anyone else's, in my eyes, yet so tender they could give the best bear hugs!

 

 My Dad was the most tough, yet gentle, kind, sweet cowboy you ever met!

 

 

I thought it was only appropriate when we were visiting Grandma Israelsen this past fall that we take some Grandpa Israelsen cowboy hat photos with the kids.

  They wear them well, truly their Grandpa's posterity. And no, these are not all the hats he owned!

 

My Dad was a naval officer in World War II.  He married my Mom in 1944.

 

This is them along the way,

 

and this is them 65 years later....
 



 And this is the result of their marriage... yep, that's an even dozen, and I'm happy to be the youngest.

You probably didn't even realize that's my cute Mom there in the middle.

 

 

Because of my Dad's love for his country, it was only fitting that he had a hearse like this,

 

 

a patriotic funeral complete with a 21 gun salute,

 

and the release of hundreds of red, white and blue balloons by all of his posterity.

 

 

Grandma insisted that everyone be given a flag to remember him by.

You can imagine that was a lot of flags!

 

One of my Dad's favorite things was getting visits from his children and grandchildren. 

 

Visiting Grandpa was the best! 

We will never forget the traditional birthday spats, with one to grow on.

 

Ria ria runka was his version of the Norwegian nursery rhyme. 

The kids never tired of bouncing on his knee as he sang it to them.

And of course, the kids were always 'full of frog hair,' according to Grandpa. He used to pull it out of their ears at every opportunity. 

Oh, and don't forget how he could pull quarters from behind the grandkid's ears.

Grandpa also loved to let the little ones feel his whiskers, which always resulted in uncontrolled laughter.

 

Dad always had a twinkle in his eye - he loved jokes, both to tell and to play on people, a characteristic he passed on to many of his posterity. 

 He was always surrounded by kids, who were usually entranced by his stories, or laughing at his jokes. 

 

What a great man my Dad was. 
He left an amazing legacy, a very large posterity, and cherished memories for all of us to remember.

I'm so grateful that my parents were sealed in the Logan LDS temple, giving us the assurance that we can all be together again as a family after this life. 

Can't wait to see you again Dad!