No matter the time of year Tony’s lawn is meticulously groomed and green. I loved pulling in the drive at night after work to see him on his velvety green grass mowing, setting his sprinklers or walking around to make sure there were no intruding weeds. He spent at least 4 hours each day working in the yard mowing, trimming, edging, etc. He often spoke of how he was merely the steward of this land and how honored he felt to be entrusted with its care. He believed that nothing here is truly ours but everything and everyone belongs to God. I tried to mow for him once when he was on a hunting trip. It was not a pretty sight, but he was thankful for my efforts even though he had to mow over it at a shorter height to get my lines straightened out. He never had a blade out of place. If a weed popped up, oh……… off to the shop he would go to get some weed killer. I loved watching Tony on his mower or his tractor. It brought him so much joy. It was his thinking time. He would come in and say, “Honey, I was thinking….”. The man always had a plan.

While he was in the hospital there were two times I went home to shower and found three men on different types of mowers, mowing the grass. Amazing men. Neighbors and hunting buddies that loved Tony. The problem: each of them mowed at different heights, widths and patterns. I was so thankful for their love and generosity, but oh…….. Tony’s beautiful yard with the perfect straight mowing lines, were again nonexistent. I hugged and thanked them and they apologized because it was not a beautiful “Tony” mow job.

As the time of Tony being in the hospital turned from days to weeks, to nearly 2 months, the job of mowing was taken over by our son in-law, Jeff, one of Tony’s closest friends. The friendship between Tony and Jeff grew while we were living in Washington and traveling back and forth to Oregon on weekends when my dad’s health was failing. The kids had a big house with an extra bedroom, so we stayed with them. Their house became our second home and we loved being there with them. We were with them through both of our daughter’s pregnancies. It was a time of growth for all of us. Tony became Papa to their two boys which would make a big impact on Jeff’s life.

When the first baby came, little Henry, Papa would hold him while he was screaming and not bat an eye. He would sing to him and rock him while mom and dad took a minute to breathe. When Wyatt came along, he did the same. As the boys grew, blanket forts were made in the living room and Papa would dive in headfirst to play. It gave him so much joy to teach them about hunting, elk calling, camping, mowing, and gardening. Some things he taught them were silly pranks but mostly good things from the deepest part of his heart. This love he also shared with Jeff. It was selfless, a Godly love for his son in law, that he gave freely without question or reward. A papa’s love, a dad’s love.

A little background, Jeff has been my son (I claimed him as mine) since he was 18. He met my daughter in high school, and they have been together most of the past 24 years, married for 13.

As I am writing this, Jeff is out in the garden preparing for spring. No one had to ask him, he just did it. He brought salt for the water softener. He posted some things on a website to sell for me. He has been mowing, edging, spraying, picking up leaves, and making sure the security cameras are working; everything that Tony would be doing, and he is doing it with joy in his heart. I know if Tony gets to look down from Heaven, he is beaming with pride over the love his son, his friend, is expressing by caring for me and the farm.

Thank you, Jeffrey, for being such and awesome son in law, husband to my daughter, and daddy to my grandchildren. I have prayed for you for more than half of your life and I will continue until I’m gone from this earth. Always know that you have a giant place in Tony’s heart and mine. I love you, Mommy