Ralph Lee Koontz

Pappaw was always so good to the grandkids. He
always made us feel welcome at his house and tried
to accomodate the activities of young children. My
earliest memory is the big swing Pappaw built in the
back yard. He built it so we could swing really high
and to a young child, it was as close to flying as I
could ever get. He let us play at his work bench and
showed us how to use some of his tools, and let us
watch while he made or fixed things. He even let us
swing at golf balls with his golf clubs. He never said
a harsh word to us even when we were mischevious.
Pappaw liked guns. He took my brother hunting and
took us to Sandy Bottoms to target shoot. He
taught us the proper way to hold, shoot and handle
a rifle. It didn’t matter that I was a girl, he would
let me shoot too.
Christmas was always special. He put lights out
on the front lawn and tried to make things special
for the kids. When we went to Mammaw and Pappaw
Koontz’s on Christmas Eve, we couldn’t wait
to open presents. But the best times were when
Pappaw got out the movie projector and showed
home movies of the grandkids and our parents.
Those times in the basement were wonderful. We
all recall the attempts to climb the support pole
in the middle of the room and the time each of us
were big enough to go to the top. Each of us re-
member the silver dollars we got at the end of a school
year if we were promoted to the next grade. Pappaw
always encouraged and supported us in all our endea-
vors. No matter how we really did, we were always
winners in his eyes.
I guess one of the fondest memories I have is the
time I pulled out all my eyelashes. My parents were
not pleased and I felt pretty foolish. When we went
to Mammaw and Pappaw’s house, I was a little em-
barrassed to go inside. So I stayed in the car. Pap-
paw came down to the car and in his gentle way,
talked to me until what I had done didn’t seem to
matter. Even though I had done a pretty stupid thing,
he still cared about me and he let me know in that
moment that he would love me no matter what.
The thing that stands out most in my mind about
Pappaw is the choice he made before I came along.
It is no secret of the treatment Pappaw and his
brother received at the hands of his father as a child
and young boy. He told me about some of
this mistreatment, as well as others. The point is
he did not use these events in his life, as unpleasant
as they were, as an excuse to be bitter and
unpleasant himself. It was evident Pappaw made
the choice to be a better person. There
was no resemblance between Pappaw and his
father as far as actions were concerned. Pappaw
always was a gentleman and he only exhibited
the personality of his Heavenly Father.
Much more could be said of Pappaw’s generosity,
his integrity, his faith, and his invitations to eat out,
but this medium could not contain it all.
As someone said, ‘Pappaw was my friend.
He loved me.’ Yes he was and yes he did.
I will miss you Pappaw.
I love you!
Cheryl