Garth Reckner
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- Joined
- Dec 13, 2004
- Messages
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After 98 years my Grandfather Chester Reckner passed away last night. He was one of the absolute strongest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
Throughout his life he wore many hats. He was a husband, father, a grandfather, a great grandfather and a great great grandfather. He was a farmer, a factory worker, a mechanic. I swear he could fix or build anything. He never wasted any daylight. He was still mowing his lawn a few weeks ago. He worked his whole life to provide for anyone around him. Aside from having 4 children he decided that there was still more people to help so he and my Grandmother took in foster children as well. There were some lean times but he made sure that everyone had what they needed to survive.
My fondest memories will always include the time spent in the woods teaching me to look for morel mushrooms, time sitting by the pond fishing and watching football games with him. He taught me so many things throughout my life. Most importantly he taught me the value of working hard. I will always strive to live up to his teaching. Although I will admit that up until the end I am pretty sure he could still work circles around me.
The amazing part was that for all he did he never wanted credit for anything. He always wanted to be behind the scenes and always put everyone else before him. He was truly selfless. I cant remember a game, a school event, a horse show or anything that I did that he wasn't there to offer love and support. Even in the later years whenever I would stop by to see him he would always ask me how stuff was going and he would always make sure that when I was at work I was being careful. I think every time I saw him he would make me promise that I was wearing a respirator and safety glasses at work.
He was a rock that I could always lean on whenever needed. He left behind an amazing legacy. When he was in the hospital over the last week or so at one point we had 5 generations of the Reckner family in the room at one time. I can't even venture a guess as to how many people's lives this amazing man touched over the years. This world lost a great, great man. He spent a lifetime in pain from a bad back, to bad knees, to heart surgeries and never once did he show weakness or look for sympathy. He always said that there was somebody in worse shape than him and we needed to look for those people and not worry about him.
He passed away very peacefully and I am not sure what he saw in that last moment but it must have been beautiful as the smile on his face was almost magical.
I will miss him more than I could ever put into words. But the lessons he left behind will stick with me forever and I hope and pray that someday I will be able to become half the man that he was. I know that this is just a temporary parting and I look forward to the day that I see him again.
He has left behind an amazing legacy.
I would also like to say a big Thank You to Jerry and Jennifer and my entire Busse family for all the love, prayers and support. Not sure I could have handled the last week without them.
Sorry for the long winded, emotion rambling. I will get back to work now as that is what Grandpa would be telling me to do.
Garth
Throughout his life he wore many hats. He was a husband, father, a grandfather, a great grandfather and a great great grandfather. He was a farmer, a factory worker, a mechanic. I swear he could fix or build anything. He never wasted any daylight. He was still mowing his lawn a few weeks ago. He worked his whole life to provide for anyone around him. Aside from having 4 children he decided that there was still more people to help so he and my Grandmother took in foster children as well. There were some lean times but he made sure that everyone had what they needed to survive.
My fondest memories will always include the time spent in the woods teaching me to look for morel mushrooms, time sitting by the pond fishing and watching football games with him. He taught me so many things throughout my life. Most importantly he taught me the value of working hard. I will always strive to live up to his teaching. Although I will admit that up until the end I am pretty sure he could still work circles around me.
The amazing part was that for all he did he never wanted credit for anything. He always wanted to be behind the scenes and always put everyone else before him. He was truly selfless. I cant remember a game, a school event, a horse show or anything that I did that he wasn't there to offer love and support. Even in the later years whenever I would stop by to see him he would always ask me how stuff was going and he would always make sure that when I was at work I was being careful. I think every time I saw him he would make me promise that I was wearing a respirator and safety glasses at work.
He was a rock that I could always lean on whenever needed. He left behind an amazing legacy. When he was in the hospital over the last week or so at one point we had 5 generations of the Reckner family in the room at one time. I can't even venture a guess as to how many people's lives this amazing man touched over the years. This world lost a great, great man. He spent a lifetime in pain from a bad back, to bad knees, to heart surgeries and never once did he show weakness or look for sympathy. He always said that there was somebody in worse shape than him and we needed to look for those people and not worry about him.
He passed away very peacefully and I am not sure what he saw in that last moment but it must have been beautiful as the smile on his face was almost magical.
I will miss him more than I could ever put into words. But the lessons he left behind will stick with me forever and I hope and pray that someday I will be able to become half the man that he was. I know that this is just a temporary parting and I look forward to the day that I see him again.
He has left behind an amazing legacy.
I would also like to say a big Thank You to Jerry and Jennifer and my entire Busse family for all the love, prayers and support. Not sure I could have handled the last week without them.
Sorry for the long winded, emotion rambling. I will get back to work now as that is what Grandpa would be telling me to do.
Garth
