In Memory...

...Of my Grandfather; Earl Speller.

I didn’t really know him that well, but I did know that he was very smart, very quiet, was married to my grandma Kitty-Lou Speller... and that his drink of choice was rye whiskey.

One day my parents dropped my brother Avery and I off at my grandparents place. The whole time we were there, they were yelling at each other. Nothing was being said other than, shut up! No, no! Shut up! SHUT UP! I didn’t want my brother to see them drunk and fighting so I took him outside, away from the house. That is one of my strongest memories of my grandpa Speller.

I will never forget the way he pinched my cheek to greet me. It kind of hurt, but it made grandpa smile. He never smiled, which is why I knew he loved me because he would always smile when I said “hi”. After a few years of taking photos at family functions, I noticed that grandpa wasn’t smiling in any of them! So one father’s day I made it my goal to get at least one picture of him smiling. And not even halfway through dinner, I got one! It was a really good one too. (see picture below) Once grandpa passed away, that very picture was the one they chose to represent him.


I wrote about my grandfather because, even though I didn't know him all that well, I still loved him and he will always be missed. I love you grandpa.