Memories of Grandpa Duggan

I was thinking about my Grandpa Duggan the other day. It's coming up to the 10th Anniversary of his death, in a few months, and I miss him terribly. A pastor, police chaplain, and Irish troublemaker, he was a fountain of things that all amounted to a man I am very proud to be related to.

Orphaned when he was quite young, he was a God-made man, whose life is full of stories. There are the funny stories, the stories that reflect his strong Christian character, the stories about what a neat freak he was, and the stories about what a great pastor he was. He preached right up to two days before he passed away.

Grandpa's chief gift was going into churches that had trouble, and healing wounds. Once he and my grandmother came to a church in the Midwest. The church had recently split, and it was so bad people would come to church and sit on a literal 'side' of the church and never talk to anyone on the other 'side'. Shortly after they arrived, Grandpa and Grandma invited the Church deacons and their wives to a spaghetti dinner. It might have ended up being a tense night as the Deacon board was just as divided as the church.

My Grandma comes from a dutch heritage, and always set a fancy table. As soon as the couples arrived my Grandmother seated the husbands and wives apart, and mixed up the 'sides', then to break the ice she had giant, checkered, cloth bibs for everyone. By the time the evening was over people were not only talking, but laughing and speaking to each other like they hadn't done in years. Not too long after the church began to change too. What a gift!

There were times when I was young that I was a bit afraid of him because he didn't allow you to get away with disrespect or disobedience. He was no nonsense! But, later I learned that often behind the gruff exterior was someone who was smiling because he loved you, and laughing if it was funny.

I was born in July during one of the hottest summers in record, and my grandparents had come from Denver to visit. On a particularly hot day my family decided to go to the local mall in search of cooler temperatures. After a while my dad got tired of walking around and took me, in my carriage, found a place to sit, and took a rest. My grandfather was in one of his silly moods, and decided to cause some trouble.

While my dad was sitting on a bench an old lady had walked up and sat on the other end of the bench my dad was sitting on. I don't know how long she had been sitting there when my grandfather walked up to my dad, and in an Irish accent said, "Might I have a look at your baby?".

My dad, never one to not join in a joke answered, "Have you had your shots?" This made the lady a little nervous, but she wanted to see how it turned out.

Next Grandpa nodded, peered into the carriage, and then screwed up his face and asked, "Is it a... human baby?" Well, this time the woman had heard enough, and with a disgusted exhale she departed the bench in some haste. When my Mom and Grandmother returned it was to the two of them, practically rolling on the floor laughing.

Yup, he was a cool guy, and I look forward to seeing him again...someday.