F. L. Cooper

Grandpa Gus and L-10 grandaughter 's (aug '07)
Carson (great grandchild #13) meets Great-Grandpa Gus

Today my grandfather passed away. He has been battling cancer for about 2 years, had a stroke 10+ years ago and was 88 years old. I'm not sure life ended exactly the way he had wanted it, but it ended with great peace.

He lived an extremely full life. He met and knew many famous and prestigious people. He was a Marine, a journalist, consultant, golfer, husband, father to 2, grandfather to 5 girls, and great-grandfather to 13 kids. He served his country, his town, has family, his neighbors and friends. He always looked for those younger than him that had potential and poured into them, trying to put them on the right track, help them lift themselves out of the mundane to become something bigger and better.

In his last week, his daughter (my mom) and son were with him. They had tough times but many sweet memories this week. He was in pain and taking the medications neccessary to make him comfortable altered his personality. He was emotionally and physically ready for awhile, this week he became spiritually ready. My mom shared some of his dream with me and I can't do it justice but, the bottom line was he saw the faces of the many who had prayed for him to know that he could be saved by Christ and someday be reunited in heaven with his Maker and his family. He repeated that it was "AWESOME, so Awesome". We will probably never know exactly what the dream was or who he saw or what was said, but God in His perfect timing revealed Himself to my grandfather. He had heard about Christ from his kids and grandkids. Hard to know why it took a dream at the very end, but just as the parable in the Bible talks about the laborers in the field (whether they had been there 12 hours, 6 hours or 6 minutes they all received the same reward) or the man that hung on the cross next to Christ, who at the last moment said he believed, we will meet grandpa again in heaven. God is merciful, God is mighty. God loves us even when we don't know Him or love Him. God wants to be glorified through those coming to know Him. God is DESPERATE for everyone to know Him.

Thank you, God for saving Grandpa. Thank you for 88 years of his life. Thank you for peace that surpasses all understanding! Rest easy, Grandpa.