Well, I just got the news that my grandfather died this morning. He had an amazing life, and he was an inspiration to me, my brother, and many others.

My grandfather, Andrew Jackson Walters, was born in 1922. He was orphaned at or about age 9, and by the time he was 11, he was providing for himself and his siblings by herding cattle on the open range in Texas. He seved in the Navy in WWII as a diesel mechanic in the South Pacific. He worked for US Borax for many years, and lost his big toe working on an ore crusher. For many years, he and his family moved around the country, going where he could find work. He eventually settled in eastern Washington, where he lived until his health and my grandmother's began failing. They then moved to Arizona.

My grandfather was tough as nails and stubborn as a mule. He may not have been the kindest, gentlest man, but he was a devout Christian and a devoted family man. He was a true working class hero, and his life has inspired me to persevere no matter what I face and meet every challenge with my head held high.

May his memory be eternal.