Super Angie...The Dog Gone Dog is Gone--Woof!

Tonight at around 8:45 pm Utah time, my grandpa, Everett Paulson passed away in Orlando, Florida.

My Grandpa was 87 yrs old. He lived a hard but rewarding life.

My grandpa was a master wood carver. He has made such beautiful carvings through out his life. Some of my favorites: the bed he made for my mom, which I was blessed to use as a girl and that Tanith will get to use when she gets older, the cabinet in my front room, the horses in my front room, the full size-fully working Model T car (what a stunner!!!), the round table, the Vernal Tithing building,my front porch swing, the red truck, boat and trailer he made me as a child, the china cabinet, the green wagon we have in our garage and of course, all the tiny black chairs so man of us have.

When I would visit my Grandpa in Sacramento (when I was a child), he would take just me out for breakfast. We would go to a pancake house type of place. I would always order the same thing--because it was tradition. English muffin, orange juice and a hot chocolate.

When I was growing up, I had a speech problem and couldn't say my S sound right. When I wanted Grandpa to push me on the swing in his back yard, I would say, "TING ME!". He lovingly carved TING ME into the front porch swing I have (its not a swing right now though--its a bench with legs).

Grandpa loved to tell jokes. There was one about a Quarter back, that I still don't understand, but I will always remember him telling EVERYONE these jokes. He would always talk to the waitresses and tell them all sorts of jokes.

I remember my grandpa taking me to Flaming Gorge.

I remember spending several weeks with my grandpa in Vernal. He took me to my first Rodeo. He also gave me a book about drawing.

My grandpa loved serving others. He was a great help at one of the elementary schools in Vernal. He loved helping the kids with their Times Tables. I wish he could have done that with my boys. He had a passion for it.

He was a very tall and big man. Over six feet tall. I remember his cowboy hat size was very VERY big. My brother Paul and his son Andy have Grandpa's big head. :)

He always winked and had a twinkle in his eye.

He loved going to the temple and would go at least once a week when he lived in Vernal.

On Monday, I was able to talk to him in the hospital after his stroke. He had a feeding tube and an oxygen mask on, but I was able to understand him. I told him "I LOVE YOU" and he said it back. I told him, "THE DOG GONE DOG IS GONE" and he said, "WOOF".

When I was a child, my dad's mom (Oma Hilde) died. My Grandpa tells the story that my parents wrote him a letter talking about the death of my Oma. I had no clue what was written in the letter, but on the envelope, I wrote, "THE DOG GONE DOG IS GONE--Woof" which was our little inside joke. He read that, laughed and then opened the card and in his word, "It said, Hilde's dead". LOL He laughed and laughed and made me promise that his tomb stone would say" The dog gone dog is gone-Woof". It was our great joke.

I'm thankful for my grandpa. He loved the Lord. He loved the gospel. He worked hard to be a good person. He loved serving others and smiling and laughing. He had a hard childhood but lived a great life. He was strong and honest and true.

I love you Grandpa. WOOF!

--Super Angie