My Beloved Grandfather

This is time of miracles and renewed faith in the Lord Christ Our Savior. 

My Beloved Grandpa passed away peacefully on December 22nd, 2012.  My Nana, my two uncles, auntie and I were all with him since Thursday evening, watching and praying over him.  My mother arrived from Prince George on Friday and that was a miracle she even got there since it was the busiest time of year to fly. When she was on the phone with the airline, the said it would be an 1 hour 45 minute wait to get to an agent.  She prayed and she got through in 10 minutes.  The flight was delayed due to de-icing and backed up flights.  She arrived an hour and a half later and made it in time to see her father and say the Akathist to the Archangel Michael (who helps the soul prepare for the afterlife).  My Grandpa was waiting for my mom.  I know he was.  We left late on Friday night to get some rest and at 3:00 am, I knew when the phone rang that he had passed.  I think he was waiting to be alone with my Nana to pass away. 

My Grandpa was an amazing man.  He loved his family and the church with so much devotion.  He was an extremely talented man in music and highly intelligent as an economics professor at UBC.  He co-founded the CGA with a number of others and had written some economics books. He was beloved by his students for his fairness and gentle demeanor.  His love for education and UBC he passed to me and I was lucky to have him in my graduation procession.  I am a proud grand daughter!!

He ADORED my Nana and was often singing "My Irish Rose" to her at any given time.  He always bought her jewelry regardless of her protests of being frugal and he was a hopeless romantic.  He once said to me " Women are more intelligent than men and if the world was run by women we would not be in such a terrible state as we are."  Men are nothing without women.  That is what he said!

His love of music passed on to many of us and I will always remember getting a birthday call from Grandpa as the best part of my birthday.  He would phone and sing "Happy Birthday" in the most beautiful tenor voice....loud too!! Even as he mind faded away from Alzheimer's, music stayed with him until he could no longer speak.  He often would break into an operatic song and make us all jump at the clarity and virtuosity of his voice.  He played classical guitar on a very special guitar called a harp guitar.  It was owned by the famous Dr. Perot, it was given to my grandfather and it is now considered a museum piece.  He could have chosen to become a professional classical guitarist like the famous Julian Bream, whom he knew and studied with, but he chose my Nana and a family as his path in life.  

Me and My Grandpa's guitar.  Please forgive the bags under my eyes.

I will always remember him and his gentle, humble soul who inspires us all to become more like him.  He was a peacekeeper and despised any bickering or anger.  He loved the church and was a pious man.  He never missed going to church and never stopped fasting and praying. He was the choir conductor of our church and I used to love going up to the choir and watch my grandfather conduct and sing the church liturgy.  He also read the Epistle in church and read/chanted the readings in a voice that filled the church and the whole block!!

I love you Grandpa so much and I will always remember you.  You inspire me to become the best teacher I can be.  The best person I can be.  

Vechnaya Pamyat

Wait until 4:16 when all the voices come in.  My Grandpa would listen to Church Liturgical Music all the time.  

Memory Eternal!!!

я тебя люблю - I love you in Russian

Your Annushka

 (Please forgive my muddled posts...my mind is not thinking grammar right now...nor is it very eloquent)