Rex Steinbeck Roper

On September 26, 2014 Dan's grandpa Roper passed away.  When Dan was 16 years old he came from England to live with his grandparents so he could play basketball and go to school.  His grandpa was almost like a second father to him. He loved and respected his grandpa and so did I.  They are so generous and took me in with open arms when Dan and I started dating.  He will be missed, but in the end it was a blessing he could pass from his suffering.  He's been on dialysis for years and his health was in steady decline.  After he fell and broke his hip it was just too much for his body to handle.  Once the dialysis was no longer doing what it should, his brain was being poisoned from the toxins in his blood.  He finally passed away in his home and was buried in Grace, Idaho near his parents.  

He was always so quietly witty and always had something to tease me about, including the fact that I didn't like onions, veal, or liver. He taught me how to cook with lots and lots of flavor. Dan and I used to go to their house to visit and he and grandma would have Papa Murphy's pizzas for us to eat.  Once in a while he would talk about his service in the military in Korea and Vietnam.  He was the army's hospital administrator and retired from the army after serving his whole working life.  He and grandma spent a whole year apart when he was in Korea and the only way for them to communicate was through letters. He had a quiet demeanor and knew what it meant to serve.  He and grandma served in the Ogden temple for years and years together.  We love him and miss him.

Here is Dan at the Grace, Idaho cemetery.  These are the grave stones of his younger brother, Nathan and younger sister, Elizabeth. 

Dan with his grandma.  When I asked her how she was holding up she responded by saying, "I'll be okay, but I'm not okay."  They spent over 50 years of their lives together.  

There's a handsome fellow.  It was a beautiful day, but the wind was blowing and it was quite cold.

Grandma with the flag they presented her.  He was honored with a proper military burial which made us all proud.

This is Joseph, Dan's cousin and his Aunt Jan's son who is also in the military and presented the flag to his grandmother during the burial.

He has a beautiful resting spot and although our emotions are raw and it's hard to be without him our hearts are also full because we know he is with our Heavenly Father.  I can imagine the happy reunion he has had with his parents, brother, and two little babies that he lost so many years ago.  He is now freed from the pains of this life and we will be reunited again.  We love him and honor him.