My Paternal Grandparents

This is the only picture (and it is only a photocopy at that) that I have of my grandfather. This is Rose Ella Graham and John Casper Douglas the first on their wedding day. Yep, he was the first. My dad never told me that he was II ! I think it might have been because he idolized his father so much and maybe he felt he didn't measure up. He spoke so fondly of my grandfather. Grandfather came to America from Ireland. He became an orphan, I know not how. He was born John Delaney. He was adopted by the Douglas family when he was 7 years old. I don't know the story again and I so wish I did, but he left home when he was 16 and from what I remember dad saying he never went home again. Dad never knew his paternal grandparents. He ended up in St. Louis and married my grandmother. They had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. I don't know if they lost any. Grandfather passed away when he was 46 years old. Dad said of some blood disorder. When daddy was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia in 1987, he wondered if that was the disease that took his dad. Daddy said that grandpa was a very kind man. If you had done something wrong, he would punish you, but if you were ever wrongly accused of anything, he stood beside you and went to bat for you. Perhaps that part of him came from not having the best childhood. I wish I had known my grandfather. I also wish that I had dad write down his memories of him. I will be thankful for what I do know! Can you miss someone you didn't know? The answer for me is, YES! I wish I could have known this fine man. I wish that I could have sat on his lap, held his hand while he took me for a walk, heard his voice as he gave thanks for our supper, and felt his arms around me giving me a loving hug! My granddaughter was named Delanie in remembrance of my grandfather. I love that and I know that if my daddy were alive, he would be so pleased with that also.