My fondest childhood memories of GongGong were of the many times visiting his and PuoPuo’s home in San Francisco. It was a beautiful, white, Victorian style home: full of love, warmth, and the laughter of aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a time of hot pot luncheons, stair sliding, and eating buttery Danish cookies from the blue tin. It was during this time I was introduced to his love of horticulture and nature. The entire backyard was his garden, full of flowers, trees, and trellised vines. He also took the time to show me the young fig tree that he was growing and I got to try fresh figs for the first time. Besides gardening, he’d take great joy in letting us grandkids spend time in his library where some of us would spend hours poring over the many copies of NatGeo magazines and their glossy pages. Even now, I can still recall his calm and quiet, yet confident demeanor during the excitement of the many family gatherings. These were definitely treasure worthy and awe inspiring times.
Just as a devout gardener at home, he also tended the Church and the Saints as a spiritual garden in the same way. He tended them with love, care, and with compassionate leadership through his many speakings of the gospel. The more I saw him at the podium, the more I realized, he wasn’t just my grandfather, but a grandfather to all. And I’m glad to have been able to be a witness to that.
Grandpa, you have been loved and will be missed by many. I’m sad that you’re no longer with us but glad that you were able to rejoin Grandma, in peace, who has been waiting for you.
Also, thank you Mom for taking care of Grandpa and providing the much needed caregiving relief to Auntie Jane, and the care team, in these last years. 謝謝, 大家都辛苦了!
Iris Rice
Iris Rice
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