I want to tell all of you a little about my Granpa, Thomas Clinton Bobe. He was born very weak the doctor didn’t even think he would make it to a year old. In fact the Doctor wanted to adopt him thinking he would have the best chance for life in his constant care. My great grandmother being a woman of fervent prayer refused trusting the Lord with his life, she took him home. He thrived in this home surrounded by family and the Lord. He grew up in Pensacola, working miles from his home at the Sanger Theater to earn a little extra money for the family, then coming home to milk the cow who only liked him. He told us stories of swimming in bayous and fishing off of train trestles, he was an adventurer at heart. He wanted to fly so at 16 or 17 he got permission from my grandmother to quit school to join the Navy. Once in the Navy he didn’t qualify to fly but he could repair anything so they made him a mechanic for the planes and shortly after that sent him to California. In California, on a blind date, he met my grandmother. It was apparently love at first sight because he said, “I knew I was going to marry her the first time I saw her.” Shortly after that they were sent to Guam to repair planes for the war effort and start their family. While there they had 2 children Terry and Janie.
In 1950 T. C., as he was known by his friends, was discharged from the Navy with disability discharge. It was found that he had M.S. he spent several months in Bethesda Hospital before He was sent home to die. The doctors said he didn’t have a chance and even if he did make it he would never walk again. As always, with much prayer and work my grandfather did walk again. In fact he not only walked but became so healthy you would not have known he was sick. He studied for his pilot’s license and earned it not too long afterwards. He flew several small single engine planes for many years until he could not pass the eye exam any longer. During this time he began a business with his wife Wendy that still survives today Bobe’s Hobby House. They also had two more sons Donnie, my father, and John. My grandfather was always seeking the Lord and found innumerable ways to serve HIM through his business and church. He instilled faith in his family who in turn raised their children to know HIM. I miss my Granpa. My favorite memory over the last few months is of the last time he remembered me. I sat holding his hand talking to him, telling him that I loved him. He said he loved me back, he said he was proud of me, that I was serving the LORD. I every visit after that he did not know me. That is ok, because I knew and loved him along with the rest of my family who poured their lives in to him over the last few months. I had the chance to watch my family honor my Granpa and be there for him in any possible way. I am blessed to have known this man and to have bee a part of his family. I pray that I trust in the LORD the way he did and that I have adventures and use my gifts, and live out my dreams in a way that honors my LORD, as my Granpa did. A friend asked me if it felt like what I thought it would feel like to loose my Granpa and this was my answer,I knew I would be sad -- about losing him and not knowing him better than I did. about my grandmother being alone. my dad and aunt and uncles not having a dad. about Sterling my 5 year old cousin not knowing his grandad and not understanding where he is now. I didn't expect to miss -- his smell (like coffee because he drank gallons of it a day), his sense of humor, his big thick glasses, the whistle that was louder than anything i've ever heard, stories about when he was a kid, his voice, his laugh, his really blue eyes that are just like my dad's and mine for that matter, their love - the example it was to all of us, the love he had for the LORD, his shoes, and sweaters, his hands, his smileI didn't expect to miss those things.....I didn't expect the weird feelings, really selfish kinda stuff, like not having a husband to hold my hand through this, wishing he were here for a little longer, angry that i was in BR instead of Pensacola with him this weekend, wishing he knew me the last time i saw him, i didn't expect to feel like such a kidI didn't expect to be peaceful more than sad, or to smile at the thought of him being gone from the struggle of this place and his illnessesi didn't expect to hear my older brother crying when i told him or when he told me he couldn't come, he never cries, i didn't expect my younger brother to have it all together, he is so much like my dad,i didn't expect to be tired and get even more tired at the thought of the next few days.i don't want to go up to the casket..... i don't want to remember him like that.