And Then Life Changed

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Last Sunday the 28th, my grandpa James Clark McCall died. So of course I didn’t do a post Monday … or the rest of the week. I’ve been dropping commitments left and right over this, actually!

This is basically going to be a short post in memory of my grandpa, who played an important central roll in my life, and a way for me to talk about the future.

So, let’s just get on with it!

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A bit about him:

James “Jim” Clark McCall, 72, a resident of The Dalles, died at his home on Sunday, October 28th, 2018. Jim was born December 12th, 1945 in The Dalles, Oregon, the youngest of three children to Clayton and Marie (Olson) McCall. He graduated from The Dalles High School in 1963 and Oregon State University in 1968. He married Nancy Lyn Roth on September 26th, 1964. Jim worked in the banking industry, first for Wells Fargo Bank then Columbia River Bank. He finished his career with Columbia State Bank, retiring in 2013. He enjoyed spending time with his family, a good joke, camping with Nancy, family, and friends, bird watching, and taking care of his cows and dogs, but his delight was in the Lord, and he meditated on Him day and night.

His survivors include his high school sweetheart and wife of fifty-four years, Nancy Roth McCall; three children and their spouses, Tawny and Rob Garrett, Jeff and Cheri McCall, and Matt and Tammy McCall; eleven grandchildren and spouses, Heidi (Garrett) and Matt Burke, Benjamin Garrett, Robin (Garrett) and Josh Ott, Nikki (McCall) and Shay Ellison, Nolan McCall, Kyle McCall, Alex McCall, Brooke McCall, Kelly Garrett, James Garrett, and Thaddeus Garrett; six great-grandchildren: Coryn, Holly, Mercy, Claire, Lincoln, and Elijah; his brother and sister, Robert and Toni McCall of Portland, Oregon; nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his adopted sons, Darrell Sharp and Dan Marsh.

So yep, there are still a lot of us left now that Grandpa is gone, and it’s kinda scary!

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(All but one of his grandkids are pictured above.)

I’m so grateful to my grandpa for his caring nature, his wisdom, his jokes, our camping trips, our special nicknames, and all the fantastic memories.

He was probably the most important man in my life. We were closer than close. My grandparents and I were inseparable; we were a dynamic trio!

I don’t think a lot of people understand just how close I was to my grandparents. I can literally see their house from where I’m sitting typing this blog post in my living room.

They were a second set of parents and my best friends for many years. I loved them both very much – and I continue to love my grandma (who, by the way, has been incredibly strong in the face of this trial).

From the time I was two years old, I was going on two-week camping trips with them. When other grandkids were scared to spend the night or be away from their parents for long periods of time, I wanted to go with them more than anything in the world.

I’d sob when my mother came to get me or hide in the back of their pickup in hopes that they wouldn’t make me leave.

They have loved me, amused me, cheered me up, kept me from going insane, helped me go crazy (in the best way), made me endlessly faithful to my family, given me a love for so many different things (music, movies, animals).

My grandpa especially taught me that quiet is sometimes better, that you can be strong and silent, that sometimes it’s better to pull than to push, and that gentleness wins over brute strength.

But – thankfully – Grandpa and I (as well as most of the rest of my family) are Christians – so we will meet again.

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For that reason, I’m on hiatus for a time. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Could be sooner, could be later.

But I will be back. You’d better believe it! I wouldn’t give up blogging for the world. Y’all just gotta be patient.

A few quick updates:

As of today (Friday), I’ve reached 35,000 words in Souls Astray.

Yes, 35K in nine days! I’m going to 100K for the month.


Reveries Co. is officially launched.

Be sure to check it out!


I’ll probably be posting more on social media.

So yep, if you want to talk or whatever, that’s where to reach me.
I’ll also answer comments here.

TTFN!

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~Kellyn Roth~

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