Eldercare Wisdom

Remembering my grandfather's wisdom and legacy

Merce reflects on family stories and heritage

Published April 13, 2026 - 2:54 p.m.

I lost my paternal grandfather when I was only 7 years old. I would love to have several long conversations with him.

A lot of the stories I've heard from my father and uncles are about how gentle he was and how smart he was. He was born in 1881. He had a lot of siblings.

He could feed his family by things out in nature. He knew what weeds were safe and edible. He would bring back any critter he could find.

I would love to sit on the front porch swing and talk about his childhood, how he met my grandmother, what year they came to America from Germany, and anything else he wanted to share. So many questions.