under the magnolia tree

John H. Lobeck

January 27, 1918 - July 28, 2008

I will miss my grandpa. He lived 90 years. I'm happy he's not suffering anymore. I'm sad he's gone. He was such a fun and energetic grandpa, a man seemingly made of steel. He survived the Depression and understandably the experience seemed to shape every aspect of him. He really taught us how to save, how to be frugal, and how to be so grateful for what we had. He had dentures for as long as I could remember and to our delight he would take them out and show what would happen if we didn't brush our teeth. Most of my childhood summers were spent at my grandparents lake cottage in Michigan where we learned to swim across the lake, fish, row a boat, catch minnows, roast marshmallows, and skin fish. My grandpa was the best fish fryer ever and we would look forward to his fried bluegill every summer. My grandpa loved his children and grandchildren very much and we loved him very much. He will be greatly missed by many. (The above photo is of my grandpa with my mother taken in 1944)My wedding day in 2000

The last time I saw my grandpa and the first time he met Magnolia, May 2008