My Grandpa Walker

My memories of my Grandpa Walker:

*corn flakes and jam

*Haagen-Daz ice cream always in the freezer.

*Grandpa was always up for anything, especially horse back riding or hiking

*he would show me what was edible on the Bear's Hump trail. I never forgot.

*dollar bills crumpled in his socks

*one leg of his jeans tucked into his cowboy boots...the other out.

*always able to find him in his big RED chair...usually asleep.

*the softest hands you've ever touched!

*I remember going for drives with Grandpa. He would tell me about every peak and mountain top and the history behind their names.

Happy 89th Birthday Grandpa! You are very well loved!!

Robert Matheny's memories:

I'll add on to this if I may.

I always remember Grandpa having crumpled dollars in his socks.  

He was famous for having a bumble bee land on his burger, and eating it.  I thought that was the most hilarious story as a child.

He would always call me over to sit on his lap while he was watching the news in Waterton, and he would give me lectures on how to invest money.  I was probably 8 at the time and had no idea what he was talking about, but I'd sit there and pretend I was following along until he would fall asleep in mid sentence.

When Grandpa and Grandma stayed with our family when we lived in Midway, Grandpa and I went to the homestead every night to sit in the hot tub, and he would tell me stories and we had a lot of fun.  Then we would go back to that small midway cabin and we shared the master bedroom.  He would watch the news every night till he fell asleep.  Then Grandma would yell up the stairs to turn it of.  So I would turn it off, and every time without fail he would wake up (mid-snore) and say, "Hey, I was watching that!"

My most fond memory of Grandpa was when he was sick in the hospital, we were all in Calgary, and I had just turned 12.  I wanted him to give me the priesthood.  He wasn't even strong enough to sit up, so I laid my head on a pillow on his lap, and he conferred the priesthood to me.  He was a great man, with an infinite amount of great qualities.  I truly miss him.  I love you all, and Happy Birthday Grandpa.

Aunt Holly Tilleman's memories:
 

I LOVED all your memories of Grandpa Walker!  I hope more will follow!  Robert, I laughed and laughed at your memories and then I cried at your last Priesthood ordination memory!

I loved talking to Dad at night while he was in the big red chair.  He would answer all my gospel questions. He really helped me develop my testimony.  I talk about him all the time up here.

I too loved our shopping trips to Safeway each Saturday.  He would always buy me apple fritters and grapes and we would eat them on the way home.

I remember when he was helping me learn to drive.  I was driving him home from Safeway on Elbow Drive.  When I came to a stop sign, I accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake!  I almost gave him a heart attack!

I remember he purposefully wouldn't remember any of the boys' names that I dated, until I brought Karl home.  Then he called him by name.  He was the only one he liked.

I find myself telling my kids the same things that he used to tell me, especially when I would tuck them into bed.  I loved how caring he was and how thoughtful he was with his words.  It meant the world to me.  He was very caring and gentle in his word choice.  I always respected him and knew he was in charge but somehow he portrayed his leadership with great love and care.

I remember seeing scriptures left by his bedside, by the chair and left by the big bathtub!  He did love the scriptures and would tell me that they were inspired writings and admonished me to "improve your own life from the teachings" that I would read in the scriptures.

I loved how he expressed himself.  His letters and postcards were so beautifully written.  They were poetic!  You could tell he was a master of the English language.  I have saved every one of them.

He loved his grandchildren so much.  He was so happy when they would come and climb onto his bed and talk.  He always let them eat on his bed and watch TV with him.  He was always sad when they had to go.  He would make sure to invite them to come again right away and he would say, "You can have anything you want here."

He loved everyone so much but he loved his family the most.  He was so proud of us all (even when for little insignificant things)  For example, one day he took me into a ski shop (the one next to the dry cleaners).  I had just learned some gymnastics tricks (I was probably about 7 or 8 years old).  He was so proud of my tricks, that he made me show the ski salesman right there and then!!!  I remember feeling so embarrassed!  But now I understand parental pride!

Speaking of skiing, I loved our ski trips together to Park City.  We had such great talks going up the ski lift and then we would have so much fun skiing down.  He always made me feel special.

I remember him coming to Waterton to join us with tons of fresh fruit from Pincher Creek.  He also taught me to eat tomatoes like an apple with a bit of salt and pepper on.  He always taught me that the BC fruit we would select was so good and that we were lucky to have such good fruit.  He would tell me that as a little boy they didn't get much citrus, especially during the war years and depression (only in their Christmas stockings!)  Maybe that is why he always bought so many oranges, mandarin oranges and grapefruits!  I loved Mom's breakfasts in the mornings with fresh grapefruit, fried eggs, bacon and raspberry jam.  He loved Mom's breakfasts too!  Robert and I would sit on either side of him and then he would wipe his greasy bacon hands on our pant legs and say, "Time to go!"  And off he would go to operate.  No need for napkins!

He made great "dagwood" sandwiches late at night and he got me hooked on vanilla ice cream and ginger ale.   I remember having nightmares all the time as a little girl and crawling in between Mom and Dad.  Then I would wake him up and tell him I was hungry and he would get up and go make me a peanut butter and jam sandwich and a glass of milk!  Talk about nice! 

 Remember how funny it was when he would accidentally  put metal pans in the new microwave that Flora and Larry gave them?  He thought that was a great invention!

I remember how he and Robert would wrestle on the big round bed at night and tease Grandma with tickling!  She did not like it one bit!

I remember he and Robert playing football in the front yard sometimes before work and then he would throw some peanuts to the black squirrels for their breakfast.

I remember he would not let on too much that he liked Mimi, the cat.  But when we would go to Waterton and he would have to stay in Calgary, he and the cat were best buds.  He would never admit that though to anyone.  He mentioned it only once to me.

He wanted all the grandkids to have great happy memories in Waterton and Midway.  He loved how he arranged that they could go to the movies for free  in Waterton and how he arranged for us all to swim for free at the Homestead, even after he died!   His generosity turned out to be a real blessing for all of us.  He wanted us all to create happy memories with our own children.

I remember how he would try to teach me about the stock market.  We would look at the paper and he would help me learn about the stocks.

He would also tell me great stories about his Grandfathers.  I especially remember the ones about Robert and Daniel Harris.  He also loved Mom's genealogy.  Mom would often say that Dad knew more about her ancestors than she did!  He was fascinated by them all and their conversion stories and their immigration stories.

He was always so kind to my friends.  2 of my friends asked Dad to baptize them.  They all loved "Dr. Walker" and all the cousins loved "Uncle Bob"-- he was genuinely interested in every one.

Right after our little Sarah was born 7 years ago,  I took her to her first pediatrician's appointment.  I was waiting a long time in the examination room.  All of a sudden I felt enormously sad that Dad didn't get to meet her and see what a beautiful little baby she was.  Then a strong impression came to my mind, that he truly did get to know her and probably helped her prepare for her time on earth.  I imagined him telling her all about her family and all about the beauties of the earth and even about the human body.  For the first 4 years of her life in fact, she wanted to look at my childrens' medical book over and over and over and she wanted me to tell her all about every body system-- the muscles, the bones, the veins and arteries etc.  I always smiled at her keen interest at such a tiny age, because I think she had some earlier conversations with Grandpa Walker!  He had those conversations with us while he was on the earth, so why not up there!?  (Remember his pacemakers and model of the heart that he kept in the den!?)  Those were wonderful times! 

We are blessed to belong to him.  I miss him terribly!

Aunt Heather Sandstrom's memories: 

I remember:

-Dad and Mom singing "Is your Mother home Molly Malony?"  at the end of every Family Home Evening for their talent.They're so cute & had good harmony!

-He loved eating oranges off our trees in Arizona.  He just thought it was so awesome that they just grew on our trees and he could just pick and eat them!

-He'd come over to our house in AZ and pull out an Encyclopedia and read to our children on various topics.  He'd say, "What should we learn about today?"

-When I went through the temple for the first time, I looked at him and he was asleep. He looked at our family, then said to me, "This is what life is all about!"

-He loved operating on the chicken or turkey and showing us all the joints, veins and bones.  I have a hard time eating anything, but boneless and skinless.

-I remember going golfing with him in Waterton and he'd let me drive the cart.  He loved hiking Bears Hump and taking beautiful pictures at the top!

-I loved going to the hospital with him while he did his rounds.  He'd let Flora and Laurel and I go to the little hospital store and buy cheetos and chocolate. 

-He was so excited when Robert was born and he had a son!  We watched the video of him bringing Mom and Robert home.  Wow, what a handsome guy!

-When Holly was born in Cleveland, he was thrilled to have this beautiful, little baby girl.  He felt like she made our family complete and was such a miracle.

-He always took us to Safeway with him on Saturday afternoons and then to the dry cleaners. He'd let me pick out some extra cantelopes or honeydews.

-At Christmas he'd take out this expensive camera and try to figure it out.  He could operate on hearts with no problem, but those cameras were frustrating!

-He loved Waterton and Midway and playing tennis with the family, horse back riding, swimming, skiing and taking jacuzzi together and getting ice cream!

-He could remember pages from textbooks from when he was a young boy.  He had such a brilliant mind. He always helped everyone get their education.

-I remember him quoting so many scriptures from the New Testament and Book of Mormon.  He had chapters memorized on Christ's life and teachings.

-He loved going to the Glencoe with us to swim, play tennis, badminton and eat.  Even when we had little children, he'd say, "Just put it on the account."

-He'd help me with my Biology homework but he went into such great depth and detail (wow, like a heart surgeon could) and I'd say, "That about covers it!"

-He'd love opening a can or sardines (yuk) and giving one to Dina, our cat, and eating one himself.  They'd share the whole can!  

-I think his favorite foods were chocolate covered orange sticks, raspberries, ice cream, roast beef, potatoes and gravy. He loved to eat at the Palliser Hotel!

-He loved watching family slides together and always snuck in a few heart operation slides to gross us all out.  He thought that was so funny!

-I loved his jokes!  He had a funny sense of humor.  Every night, he'd tell us the funny jokes that Dr. Max Grinstein would tell while they were operating.

-Every day he'd call us before he left the hospital and say, "Is the soup on?"  Then he'd walk in and whistle and we'd all come running and give him a kiss.

-He loved having Family Home Evenings.  He'd give the lesson, mom would read the minutes, we'd set our goals and then perform a talent for each other.  

-Every night, after everyone had gone to bed, Dad and I would watch the news together and analyze the news, politics, talk about the gospel and our goals.

-He loved setting new years resolutions after a big New Year's Dinner and then reading our old resolutions to see if we had accomplished them.  I loved that!

-He visited and talked to everyone and knew everyone's family connections.  He'd tell them about their Grandparents, aunts, uncles and any relations.

-We always had a steady stream of people coming to our home to get his advice on marriage, business, schooling, missions and made them feel important!

-Everyone always came away feeling better after talking to Dad.  He helped so many emotionally and financially.  He loved helping people on missions!

-He'd always say, "Heather, is this the best day of your life?" "Don't forget, if you make the plans, other people will follow.  If not your subject to their plans."

-Then he'd say, "Remember to postpone your rewards."  Then he'd quote Shakespeare and say, "Don't let your passions destroy your dreams."

-He loved skiing in Midway in his orange ski suit.  I remember he and Laurel crashing into each other on the hill in his bright, orange suit.  He loved orange!

-Every day he'd say to my children, "Who loves you?"  and they'd respond, "Grandpa does!" Everyone felt like they were his favorite buddy!

-Even when he was so sick in his hospital bed, he'd shake everyone's hand, ask them how their life was and what they were doing. He really cared.

-He encouraged me to get a biopsy when I had a lump on my throat.  He said it could be cancer and thanks to him, they got the cancer out & did radiation.

-He had the softest hands & served so many. I loved to hold them.When I got bumps on my fingers like his, he said,"You have perfect hands, just like mine." 

-He loved the Savior, the gospel and his testimony.  I remember him teaching gospel doctrine for years and he was so knowledgeable about the scriptures.

-When he was Stake President, he would fall asleep on the stand, wake up right before he spoke, summarized everyone's talks and then gave a great sermon! 

-He was so proud of his children and grandchildren. He loved to hold them on his lap and ask them about their day. I loved looking in his beautiful blue eyes.

-He'd always say to me, "Doesn't your Mom have a gorgeous voice?"  Just before he died he said, "We have a beautiful family Barbara.  I love you."

-I loved how he visited with Paul for hours at night. They'd laugh, talk, he'd fall asleep, then they'd watch TV with just the news printed across the screen.

-When remote controls first came out, Paul got him one and he thought that was the greatest invention on the earth.  He didn't have to get out of bed!

Erica Soelberg's Memories of Grandpa: 

Grandpa took Ryan and I to see Jurassic Park in Waterton and Ryan and I were freaked out! We looked over at grandpa, expecting to get some consolation, and he was ASLEEP!

I loved his funny sarcastic comments you could only hear if you were sitting right next to him :)

When he would pick us up from the airport in Calgary, he would take us on a car tour, pointing out everything building in down town Calgary. I used to hate that - I just wanted to get to their house! Now I wish I could hear more of his commentary. I would listen better now. 

I have vivid memories of him sitting in the kitchen in Calgary with a can of sardines that he was sharing with Mimi - and then asking if I wanted one. UGH!

I remember snuggling with him is his big red chair.

I too, remember his soft hands. 

When we would get home from school in Arizona, we would often find Grandpa sitting on the couch reading the encyclopedia.

I remember his  big belt buckles and cowboy boots. 

Whenever we were driving to Waterton, and the lovely scent of farm life entered our car, he would always take a big whiff and say " smells like money." (as we were all plugging your noses, gagging)

I remember sitting on his big round bed at night while he was watching the news and he would listen to my heart with his stethoscope

I also remember his love for raspberries

He was so generous. I remember Alfy at Sunday dinner. I thought he was a cousin or something for the longest time. We also loved taking advantage of his generosity at the glenco! We got really good at saying, "charge it to Dr. Walker."

Just like mom said, he would always say "who loves you?" Then we would answer," Grandpa does."

Looking back, he must have been a VERY patient man. We would run through that huge house like crazy people and he never said a word. 

He was always up for everything. He loved being with the family. I loved that he would do everything with us - hike bears hump, boating, walks, horseback riding, movies, the glenco, golfing, etc. 

I remember he and Grandma singing "Baby it's Cold Outside" at Christmas time.

I always knew he had a strong testimony. He was the perfect example of service. He loved his family. He was very kind. He was a hard worker. I'm so grateful he is my grandpa. What an example he is to me!

I can't wait to see him again and for Alan and my children to meet him. (Alan remembers meeting him in high school and seeing him around, but I'm excited for him to get to know him too.) Grandpa would have loved all these great-grandchildren. (although, I'm sure they were all hanging out together before they were born.)

LOVE YOU GRANDPA! Happy Birthday!

My Memories: Christine Hull 

There are so many things that remind me of grandpa. I loved how enthusiastic he was about life. He used to always have everyone say "hip hip hooray" three times. When I was in first grade, I was really struggling learning how to read. I remember he sat me down on that big, red leather armchair, and he worked with me for a long time learning the words. Heck, I even remember the exact book we read.

I always knew that grandpa cared. Whenever I was around him, I knew that everything was right in the world. When I was in junior high, I told grandpa that I hated school and that it was too hard. He sat me down and told me to think this in my head: "you are smart and everyone is not as smart as you." He really wanted me to have confidence in myself! I remember silently repeating that to myself many times that year.

 When I was just 6 or 7 years old, he even tried teaching me how to read the stock market. It went way over my head, but I was so glad that he cared to enough to try to teach me!  Grandpa always smelled like leather boots to me. Whenever I catch that scent, it instantly takes me back.I am so thankful to have such a righteous and outstanding grandfather and I am so excited to see him on the other side. I know he is watching out for all of us.

I forgot to mention my favorite story (that made a lasting impression on me as a kid) One day, grandpa was eating a burger at the Glencoe club. As luck would have it, a bee landed on his patty. So, grandpa casually slapped the bun right on top of that bee and ate it. Following the bite, he remarked, "that's good protein."

Memories: Laurel (Mom)

Hey Family:  I couldn't really see what was written because it was so black.  I have so many fond memories of Dad.  He sure did love us all and his 25 grandkids.  He was always so kind and generous to so many even his nephews.  He loved to swim and get a steak sandwich and milk shake at the Glencoe.  He loved to chat with everyone at church, wedding receptions, hospitals, everywhere.  He loved to whistle.  He took time to read with my children especially Christine.  He wore cowboy boots to church meetings, often with one pant leg tucked in and one out of his boots.  He just didn't care.  He loved Waterton especially with his family surrounding him.  I loved how he would bring fresh food to the cabin when he would join us on the weekends.  He would often fall asleep in his big red leather chair in the den.  He would stay up late to watch the 11:00 pm news.  He used to say he had a round bed so he wouldn't have to "corner" Barbara.  ha, ha.  He would love to tell Max Grinstein jokes from the operating room.  He was a gifted surgeon and had a great mind.  He was deeply spiritual because he really cared about people.  He loved people.  President Thomas S. Monson told me once, up in Midway, that Grandpa Benson had on shiny new shoes and told "Tom" that Bob Walker, his son-in-law had just bought them for him.  This was Dad, so kind and caring.  I could go on all day.  If you want more, I have more.  I sure do miss dear Dad.  He was a great example to us all to live the gospel to the fullest.  He LIVED his testimony.  He loved the gospel and knew it was true.  Love, LAUREL

Hey Family:  I just thought of so much more about dear Dad.  When he delivered new babies (I think half of our Calgary stake were delivered by Dad), he would get asked: "Now isn't our baby beautiful?"  Dad would respond (to the homely ones):"Now there's a baby!".  He loved going to the Raymond Stampede and parade on July 1st and going to the Walker family reunion afterwards usually held in Aunt Mary's and Aunt Beth's backyard.  He took me and my children up to Coalville, Utah  to see his Harris and Walker graves.  He loved his ancestors.  Robert Harris was in the Mormon Battalion.  Dad was so proud of that.  Dad loved visiting his mother in Raymond.  She had kittens, cake with 3 inches of frosting, canned raspberries, the biggest vegetable and flower gardens ever.  He ordained Robert Matheny to the priesthood as a deacon when he was so ill in the Rocky View Hospital.  Robert put his little head on a pillow and Dad ordained him with his frail hands placed on Robert's head.  His last words to me (on Mother's Day)  was :"Laurel you are a great girl"  Then he passed away a few minutes after that phone call.  He always loved and encouraged us.  He told us that we could do anything. 

Some of my favourite memories of Dad: Auntie Flora

• Dad was a super hard worker.  (He very often operated all night long.)
• He was super generous.  (He was famous for slipping the grandkids money at Sunday dinner.)
• Sunday dinner with his family was his number one priority of the week.
• He loved to golf, even though he rarely had time.
• He loved the Glencoe, and loved it even more if his grandkids were with him
• He loved to hear Grandma sing. His favourite song that she sung was "Vilja" from the operetta, The Merry Widow, by Franz Lehar: 

• He loved the Book of Mormon - He told me that his Grandma Harris (his mom's mom) would come up from Utah and stay with them in Raymond.  As a very little boy, he would sit on her bed and she would tell him stories from the Book of Mormon.  And that's where he learned to love the Book of Mormon.
• He loved candy.  He often had several half-eaten candy bars in the front seat of his car, next to the open fresh raspberries.  When Dad was very little, one time, when Great-Grandma Harris visited, she brought a big box of candy with two layers.  Dad snuck in and ate the bottom layer.  She laughed and laughed when she saw what he had done! 
• Everyone thought Dad was their best friend.  He was the most super friendly guy in the whole world - and to everyone - the check-out clerk at Safeway, the janitor at the hospital, it didn't matter who, he always said hello to absolutely everyone.  It always took Grandma Walker a long time to get out of church, but it took Grandpa Walker much longer!  Who remembers Alfie at Sunday dinner?  He always had time for the less fortunate.
• He loved to ski.  He took me skiing for the first time when I was six at Paskapoo (now COP.)  He had a season's ski pass for years and years. 
• He loved the temple.  When I went to the temple for the first time, I drove back to Calgary with him - just him and me.  And I had so many questions!  We talked and talked.  One of the things that has stuck with me is that he told me that some day, the endowment wouldn't be new to me anymore (at that point, I couldn't imagine such a thing!) and he told me that he had the entire endowment memorized because by attempting to memorize it, one becomes a more active participant in the temple endowment.  Since then, that has been my goal.  Can't say I am very close, but I keep trying.
• He loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His testimony was powerful. He understood the atonement and loved the peace that comes from living the Gospel. Who can remember the FHE we had outside the Rockyview hospital where he was so weak that he could hardly speak, and yet he wanted to make sure his grandchildren knew how much he loved the Savior and the gospel?
• He loved his kids and grand kids more than anything in the world, even more than surgery.  And that's saying a lot.  I miss him. 
•  
• Sara and Dustin said...
  Happy Birthday, Grandpa!!
  
  This was a fantastic post. I loved reading all the things about Grandpa and having fond memories.
  
  The funny thing is, when you asked that last question the first memory I thought of was holding Grandpa's hand. He had the softest hands and I loved sitting with him and feeling how soft his skin was.
  
  I also remember him falling asleep in that big red chair after Sunday dinners. Or the time Mom told me to ask Grandpa my question about why we get hiccups - bad idea! I was SO confused with his explanation about the diaphragm and some flap or something rather. I remember him giving Beth a $20 bill and telling her to share with her sisters and thinking, "She's not going to. I'm not getting any of that."
  
  Ah, I love Grandpa Walker. I'm so excited to see him again. 
•  
• Holly Spackman said...
  Like Sara, most of my memories of Grandpa were sitting on his lap, in the big red chair, holding his soft hands and wondering why the veins in his hands were so plump and visible. I also remember:
  • Sitting with him on the big round bed and watching TV, he taught me that I could lie on my side and look at the reflection of the TV in the mirror if I was too tired to sit up.
  • Sunday dinners: Grandpa would carve the (very well done) roast and give us 'tasters' of the roast beef. Then during dinner he would fall asleep at the head of the table (usually in the middle of a story) then wake up and jump right into the middle of a conversation that was happening while he slept.
  • I’m pretty sure I only saw him wear two pairs of shoes: cowboy boots and white runners.
  • I wanted to be just like him. I would sit and look at his ‘book of pills’, some type of index that had photos and descriptions of all sorts of pharmaceuticals, and ask him to tell me what each of them were for. When I was 10 he helped me with my science fair project which was all about the human heart.
  
  I like hearing everyone’s memories about Grandpa. They help me remember the things I loved about him too!
• What is a memory that you have of Grandpa Walker?