Memorial Day

I would like to celebrate Memorial Day by honoring my Grandfathers. They both raised families, worked hard, and served this country during WWII.
Grandpa Burningham lived in Bountiful so I got to see him weekly. He was a great gardener and had an amazing yard. He was also one of the best cooks I have ever met (even my Mom asked for recipes from Grandpa). I remember one of my birthdays, all I wanted was for Grandpa to make me his famous shrimp dinner. He made the yummiest shrimp and oysters I have ever had. Grandpa Burningham was drafted into the Army when my Dad was 1 years old. My Grandma was left to raise him and his 2 older brothers.
Grandpa fought in the war for 2 years and every night by the light of the moon he would write a letter to my Grandma. He never missed a night no matter how tired he was. Grandpa was the type of a guy that was the last person you would expect to be loving and gentle, but he would drop whatever he was doing to help a family member or a neighbor. We loveingly called him "Grumpy" and he loved it! Another memmory of Grumpy is that when my sisters and I would wear our hair in a bun, Grandpa would get a butter knife and chase us around saying, "I am hungry I want to cut off your bun and eat it!" We always wanted to have our hair in a bun when we went to his house! I loved going to his house and playing in his yard. The creek running through the back yard was a child's dream yard, we fished, waded, swam, and just enjoyed the sound of the water running through the yard.

Grandpa Dalling also served in WWII. He was drafted right out of High School and left his girlfriend, my Grandmother, to go to Germany. Grandpa was a good boy and very trustworthyso the generals took him from the battle field and let him be their chauffer. He got to drive them all over Germany. He saw many beautiful places, many sad and destroyed places. He never talked about it, but my Grandma told me about it one night when I was visiting with them.
Grandpa Dalling was a coach. He coached at Ricks College, now BYU-Idaho, for years and years. He helped his brother Uncle Glen coach boys basketball, he coached baseball, football, and wrestling. After his college years were over he coached the Madison High School Girls Softball Team. He got to coach 2 of my cousins, I think they are very lucky. Grandpa was the fastest and strongest man I ever new when I was little. Yes, stronger and faster than my dad even. He did not even need to use a baseball mitt when he was playing ball with us grandkids! Can you believe it? :) We also went fishing with Grandpa. I remember fishing with him and the rule was "you catch it you gut it". Well I was the only girl cousin out of 8 boys fishing and I caught 5 fish and the boys caught NO FISH! My brother was so mad at me. But my Grandpa had taught me well, and I gutted all 5 of those fish all on my own (with the help of my dad of course). :) My grandpa treated me the same as he did his grandson's and I will always be grateful for that. I have accomplished much in my life because I am a person, not a girl.