HOWARD WILLIAM ADAMS 

My Grandfather

Written by Terry Conner 

    My grandfather was born in Minnesota and was an auditor for the Great Northern Railroad Company for 41 years before he retired.  He rode the train and stopped at all the stations to audit their books.  When he was transferred to the Chicago to Seattle Empire Builder run, he moved his family to Spokane Washington.  This was approximately in the year 1918.  He thought this was a good place to raise a family.  The family moved to Seattle around 1931.  At this time, Nana and Grandpa took in boarders to help make ends meet.

   My grandfather was a very proper gentleman.  I remember distinctly that he was always dressed in a three-piece suit, tie, and watch fob.  I have that Masonic watch fob today along with his great-great-grandfather’s  (John Q Adams) watch in a glass domed keepsake.  At specific dates (I sure don’t remember them now) in the fall and spring, my grandfather would put on and take off his wool long john’s.  Heaven forbid there was an Indian summer or early spring.  Aunt Dody and Mom bought Grandfather several sports shirts, but he never wore them until long after he retired and then buttoned them all the way up!

    When Uncle Reed and Aunt Dody were dating and Reed came to the house, grandfather would ask him, “where are you going tonight?”  Uncle Reed would respond, “ I don’t have any money…we’re going out to neck!”  Grandpa liked him because he teased him and gave him a hard time.  Grandfather, however didn’t think too much of that young Pat Mitchell.  He told my mom that she wasn’t marrying a lace curtain Irishman, but a shanty Irishman.  Took my dad a few years to win the old man over, but of course he did.

    As grandfather grew older, he developed a disease that made his nose large and bulbous.  Bless his heart as this made him extremely uncomfortable and ashamed.  He rarely went out in public after that.  I wrote him a letter and invited him to my eighth grade graduation.  To my mother’s surprise and my delight he agreed to come!  How proud and excited I was.  His nose didn’t bother me at all and he sure made me feel very special.  It was my first time in “heels” and as clumsy as I was he told me I looked wonderful.  And then, after graduation, he took me aside and gave me my nana’s wedding ring for my graduation present.  I was overcome with joy!  My mom said I was way to young to appreciate such a gift.  But grandfather said I was a very “mature” young lady and insisted that I keep the ring.  I was in seventh heaven!

    I am very proud of my grandfather.  He lived by his own set of rigid rules and always put his family first.  He was a good provider and a great example.  A truly moral man.