MY GRANDPA - AN AMAZING 100 YEARS

GRANDPA SNOW

1916 – 2016 WHAT AN AMAZING JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE

As my Grandpa has entered what appears to be the last stages of his amazing life, I have been lying awake reflecting on my memories of Grandpa of which there are many. And although I write this with a heavy heart, it is also a proud heart as I sit back and reflect on my life with Grandpa.  As the eldest of four Grandchildren my memories of Grandpa stretch back 40 years or so when as a young boy Grandpa would always be teaching me the finer skills of kicking a football, handballing, playing tennis and putting in golf.

One of my fondest memories was in 1985 when Grandpa took me to the very first Adelaide Formula One Grand Prix.  What a day we spent opposite Stag Corner beneath one of the corporate facilities.  Neither of us were real petrol heads, but we enjoyed the atmosphere and being part of Adelaide’s motorsport history.

My Grandpa has lived a wonderful life for a touch over 100 years and Adelaide, Australia and the world has seen some amazing achievements in his lifetime.  What an honour for him to personally live through and witness some of the most historical events the world has seen.

Grandpa was born in 1916 during WWI and at this time Australia’s population was miserly 4.9 million.  Today, our population is 23.7 million.  The Premier of the State was Crawford Vaughan and the Prime Minister was Billy Hughes.  Grandpa has lived through 23 Premiers and 23 Prime Ministers.

In 1916 there was only the 3^rd Annual Academy Awards Ceremony which saw Civilisation awarded for Best Picture, William Gillette – Best Actor and Marie Doro – Best Actress.

During his life of 100 years Grandpa has witnessed these amazing achievements and historical events:

• Trans Continental Railway completed
• The first wireless message sent between Britain and Australia
• Holden’s
• Qantas
• Vegemite
• Royal Flying Doctor
• Sydney Harbour Bridge opens
• Sydney Opera House opens
• First John Martins Christmas Pageant
• Development of night Football
• World Series Cricket
• Don Bradman era
• The Bodyline series
• The Depression
• Introduction of TV
• The development and use of the A-Bomb
• First Traffic Lights
• Adelaide Airport
• Opening of the South Eastern Freeway
• World War II
• Concord
• Boeing 747
• The Hills Hoist
• The Victor Lawnmower
• Opening of Football Park
• Demise of the tram network in Adelaide
• Space Exploration
• Vietnam War

There is obviously much more, but just these are amazing in their own right.

I am proud and privileged to have had Grandpa be a part of my life for the past 46 years.  His love of all of us kids our wives and ultimately his Grandchildren has been unquestionable.  Yes he wasn’t perfect, but then again who is.  He was always full of advice from everything on how to play sport, drive a car, and look after a car and numerous health tips plus everything else in-between.  Whilst it may have annoyed us a little at the time, we knew that he cared for our wellbeing.

In closing I thank you Grandpa for filling my heart with such fond memories and as you embark on your next chapter to wherever that is, I would like you to know that my life has been blessed to have such wonderful, loving and caring Grandparents as yourself and Grandma.

Go and rest in peace mate and let’s hope Norwood smash the Magpies this Thursday night.

This is what Adelaide looked like when Grandpa was a young boy during the 1920’s.