On Monday March 7th, 2011 my grandfather Wing Mung Young was reunited with his beloved Helen Anna Bechert Young, his "punches". He was a very loyal, hardworking, dedicated man who had an abundance of love and affection for his family. He had his own way of letting you know he approved of your decisions and was always generous with his time, talents, and all that he had. This generosity did not end with his family or his church but extended to any in need.
My grandfather was a very wise book keeper. He kept very detailed records of all his debts and all that went out. Because he was so great at managing his money he was always able to provide for his family. He would write personalized letters instead of buying a card but include the cost of the card toward in his letter. It was a very peculiar habit that is now so endearing to me.
He was the family photographer and loved to document every family gathering with his expert camera skills. He started this hobby when he and my grandmother were dating. The earliest of his work that I saw was from the 1940's. They were beautiful photos.
Some of my fondest memories are the mornings we would go to the Laie Temple to attend a session to start our day. In the weeks before my mission we did this many times. It meant a lot to me that after my grandmother died I was the first person he asked to attend the Temple with him.
I remember one birthday of his I didn't have any money to buy a gift so my husband suggested that I make him a card. So I took a picture of him and my grandmother when they were young for the cover of my card and wrote on the inside that because of his birth and their marriage he was able to create all of us and teach us so many things throughout his years with us that allow us to be better people and to be more Christ like. He was very touched and told me "This was the best gift he had gotten", and that I didn't have to pay him back for the money he had lent me to go to college that semester.
In my mind there are so many memories like these. He was always teaching, and serving is family. He was always there for us and never let us down.
My grandfather is a great man and I am so proud to be his grand daughter. I am grateful that Jonathan was able to meet the man he is named after and spend time with him. I will always cherish the memories I have and keep his example in the forefront of my mind as I raise my own children. I will try to raise them to be the kind of man he was.
Aloha Oe, Until we meet again.
