Grandpa DeWitt

James A. DeWitt

James A. DeWitt,  my grandpa, was a kind man.  He was born December 2, 1920, in Rose Hill, Iowa, right outside of Des Moines.  He was the oldest of four boys.  He was a hard worker. He attended school until the 8th grade, and then he quit so he could work and support his family. He loved to read, he was a genius at crossword puzzles, and he could fix anything. 

He and my grandma, Virginia, met on a blind date.  Grandpa's dad was a square dance caller, and they went dancing on that first date with another couple.  Apparently this was a big scandal in my grandma's household because they did not embrace dancing.  But my grandpa's quick smile and charm must have won them all over.  Grandma sure was blessed to have met the handsome and dashing Jim DeWitt.  She was the envy of all!

After they started dating, WWII broke out, and Grandpa joined the Army.  He was sent to the northern coast of Africa and later to Italy.  He never talked much about the war.  He told us that the soldiers would give their G.I. issued chocolate bars to the children in Italy because they were so hungry.  He also told the story about how he and his fellow soldiers were escaping from the enemy, and Grandpa was driving the jeep.  Someone else was in the back with the machine gun, and Grandpa drove down a huge flight of church steps and down an alley to safety.  His unit was one of the first to see Mussolini after he was executed by hanging by his own people.  Grandpa was in charge of reconnaissance meaning he and his men would scout out bridges and places for safety before the rest of the unit/company came through.

Grandpa loved being a soldier

He spent four years total overseas.  During that time, my grandma met with other women whose men were fighting for the cause.  They exchanged recipes and were a support group of sorts for each other.  It was here that she was given the recipe for Irish-American spaghetti, one of my very favorite dishes to this day. 

Grandpa received the purple heart for his service in WWII.  When he returned, he and Grandma were married and began their family.  They had three boys: my dad and his two brothers.  Grandpa worked for the next 10 or so years for a heating and cooling company.  Air conditioning was top technology back then, and I find that exciting to think he worked with it.  He had to find a new line of work due to health issues and wanting to earn more for his family, so he decided to re-enlist with the Army.  He then took his family all over the world including exciting places like France, Maine, Texas, Germany, Kentucky, and Hawaii.  Grandpa even had a remote tour in Greenland before being deployed to Vietnam during the Vietnam War.  Grandpa was an engineer in Vietnam; he never really talked about his time there.  I find it fitting that he was reconnaissance in WWII, scouting out and foraging, and that he worked in salvaging in Vietnam.  He was in charge of coming through after the troops had gone and doing clean-up and ensuring everything was safe.  This was him in life too.  He was the brave scout who went ahead making sure everything was secure, and he came behind and picked up the pieces and salvaged anything that could be saved. 


He cared about the men that were serving under him.  He had them over for dinner, especially those who were not near family or who were single.  He was like a father-figure to them giving them counsel and keeping them out of trouble.  At one time, one of Grandpa's G.I.'s had his fiancee fly to France so they could get married.  She intended to stay in a local hotel, but Grandma and Grandpa were concerned for a young girl staying alone in a strange country by herself, so they had her move in with them until the wedding.     

Grandpa during WWII

Grandpa was generous.  He wanted to make sure everyone had a good time.  He was a jokester.  Family get-togethers always guaranteed some kind of prank or joke being played.  When we all stayed at Aunt Grace's house in Moravia, Iowa, Grandpa and his brother-in-law, Uncle Jim, would short sheet beds.  Once Grandpa put cornflakes in Uncle Jim's bed.  Uncle Jim came to the top of the basement stairs with the sheet in hand yelling, "DeWitt!"  Of course everyone came running to see what the fuss was about and laughter soon followed!

Grandpa was a card shark.  He grew up playing cards and knew every card game there was.  He would play a game keeping track of everyone's cards while simultaneously playing a side game with his youngest son.   He was that good.    

He never met a stranger.  He made friends wherever we went...the restaurant, the hospital, the gas station.  He would just flash his winning smile and strike up a conversation.  When he walked into a room people couldn't help but turn and look at him.  People he knew would rise from their chairs to shake his hand or to say hello.  He had that gregarious DeWitt charm that seemed effortless. 

He and Grandma traveled the nation in a square dancing league.  Grandma would smile and say all the ladies wanted to dance with Grandpa and always remarked on how good he smelled.  Grandpa taught Grandma to dance.  Grandma was big into counting steps, but dancing just came naturally to Grandpa.  I would watch him move effortlessly on the dance floor smiling and chatting it up as he went along.  I loved telling everyone he was my grandpa. 

Grandpa could make anything.  He had a wood shop in his basement and was always collecting wood pieces to make picture frames or furniture.  When we lived in New Mexico, he built us a sandbox, a full-sized playhouse, and put up a tire swing.  He even built bunk beds.  My mother loved when he would come to visit!

Grandpa and Grandma w/ Dad

He had a green thumb.  Whatever he attempted to grow seemed to flourish.  His yard was full of flowers, in particular, his prize winning gladiolas.  When we went to visit in the summer, we could always count on fresh tomatoes right off the vine.  They were delicious!

Grandma and Grandpa had a huge back yard, and  Grandpa would set up croquet after the yard work was done.  We would spend the evenings playing, and Grandpa usually won.  He also loved jigsaw puzzles.  Everyone would work on it.  He even framed some and hung them in his home.  When they traveled, he would bring one with them and set it up on the dining room table.   I also love jigsaw puzzles!

Like me, he loved to snap pictures, and I was given his prized camera.    He had brown eyes, and I am proud to have the same.  He also had beautiful wavy hair that was always in place.  He always knew the right thing to say.  He was a friend to all.

Grandpa didn't criticize people.  If there was someone difficult, he would say he could live around them.  He loved babies and would get down on the floor and talk to them at eye level.  He called me Princess, and my awkward teenage self loved him for it!  He was hands-down my favorite male.  And if you know how crazy I am about my brother and dad, you know how much I loved my grandpa!

I wasn't raised to swear, but I loved driving in the car with Grandpa because he would use choice words to describe the other drivers.  I would sit in the back seat trying not to laugh out loud.  I knew he wasn't using the words in anger, so they were funny to me.  My favorite was piss ant.  I'm still not quite sure what it meant, but it still makes me giggle to think about.

Grandma was the letter writer, and I enjoyed writing letters to them and getting newsy letters of all their activities.  Towards the end, Grandpa would add a line or two.  I cherish those letters. 

Grandpa started smoking as a teenager.  During WWII, they rationed cigarettes to the soldiers, and Grandpa said they were helpful during night duty because they helped keep them awake.  Grandma did not like the smoke, so Grandpa only smoked outside.  He tried many times to quit smoking, but to no avail.  He also smoked a pipe, and I remember that smell as a pleasant one.    He finally did quit cigarettes and smoked only the pipe.  That's when he got cancer. 

Grandpa and his family

My dad was in the Air Force at that time, and we were just getting ready to move from Virginia to Turkey.  My dad had gone ahead of us, and we stayed to finish out the school year.  By the time we got to Turkey a few weeks later, my dad had to turn around and come back for Grandpa's surgery.  Grandpa was his cheerful, high spirited self making friends in the hospital, flirting with nurses, and encouraging other patients.  In fact one time his roommate complained of being cold in the middle of the night.  Grandpa disappeared for a little while and came back with a blanket for his new friend.  Everyone were so hopeful that he was going to pull through and beat the cancer!

We stayed two years in Turkey before moving to Kansas for three years.  During the next five years Grandpa lost a lot of weight.  He had completely quit smoking.  He changed his diet and took new medications.   He and Grandma volunteered at the local Red Cross.  Grandpa loved it.  Then he got sick again  towards the end of the fifth year after his first surgery.  It was right around Easter before Dad got new orders to Germany.  Grandma and Grandpa had come to visit us in Kansas.  Grandpa was in a lot of pain, but he refused to take pain meds because he didn't want to get addicted.  It was grueling to watch him suffer.  Two months later, Dad postponed the movers, and we all went out to visit Grandpa while he was in the hospital at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.  He was so brave.  

The last time I saw him he took my hand, looked me right in the eyes, and said, "I want you to know I love you very much."  I swallowed hard knowing this was going to be the last time I heard that.  I nodded and said, "I love you too, Grandpa."   Then I left the room and leaned against the wall as the tears came uncontrollably.  My dad found me and hugged me for the longest time.  He knew it was the last time too. 

We made the long drive home from Wright Patterson, Ohio, back to Kansas to meet the movers who were going to pack us up and send us on our way to Germany.  It was Father's Day.  When we got home, there was a message on the machine from my uncle saying Grandpa had died.  It was heart-wrenching.

Dad postponed the movers again, and we got back in the car to travel to Kentucky, where Grandma and Grandpa had retired, for the funeral.  Grandpa had a beautiful ceremony.  He was buried in his uniform, and an American flag was draped proudly over his coffin.  Soldiers folded the flag and presented it to Grandma thanking her for Grandpa's service to his country.  Three soldiers fired 7 shots giving him the honor of a 21 gun salute.   A lone bugle performed "Taps." 

We were all changed with the death of my grandpa.  His life affected so many.   There are often times I look around at how our family has grown with the addition of in-laws and grandkids and think to myself Grandpa would have loved this!  We still talk about Grandpa and whenever he is mentioned, Grandma's face lights up.   He was the love of her life. 

I am so thankful I knew Grandpa and have so many wonderful memories of him.  He captured my heart with his kindness, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.  He taught me the benefit of hard work, how a positive attitude can be a life-changing catalyst, and that a sense of humor goes a long way.    I thank God for placing Grandpa in my life.