My Grandpa was a joyful man—quick to smile, crack a joke or give a little tease. Grandpa never missed an opportunity to poke a little fun at me!

My favorite memories of my Grandpa revolve around camping—definitely a Timmerman family pastime. Each summer, like clockwork, the Timmerman family gathered at a campground near Marshall, MN. We shared many campfires, s’mores and stories. I remember being a young child perched on Grandpa’s lap while he was sitting on a lawn chair beside the campfire.

On camping trips, it was very special to visit Grandma and Grandpa’s camper. It was fancy and large—like a house on wheels. It was great to duck into during an afternoon rain for a game of cards. I’m sure Grandpa would rather be playing bridge but he’d play a hand of UNO with the grand kids. The best (and most coveted) trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s camper involved breakfast. They always had single serving boxes of sugar-filled cereal stocked up. Frosted Flakes. Corn Pops. Apple Jacks. Oh yeah! It was a treat to eat breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa—and not just for the sugar rush!

My Grandpa was a hard-working, God-loving, family man. Nothing was more important than family to him. On Saturday—my last visit with Grandpa—he said, “I have the best group of grand kids.” And I think all of us would agree—we had the best Grandpa.

2011 Family Picnic. Grandpa with his signature look: slightly askew baseball cap.