Bompa's Eulogy

This is the eulogy lthat I wrote and gave at Bompa's memorial service. I just wanted yall to get to know the man that I was blessed to have as my Bompa! Oh I'm going to miss him so much!

Today we are here not to mourn but to celebrate the life of a son, a brother, a husband, a father and a Bompa! I'm sure my cousins would agree that when we talked about grandparents with our friends growing up everyone had a grandfather but no one ever had a Bompa!

He was the kind of man that was kind, gentle, sweet, loving, and patient. Even though he acted like he didn't he loved to be doted over. Bompa was the type of guy who never met a stranger and loved striking up a conversation with who would ever talk to him! And who ever he met fell in love with him. And I'm sure this was one reason he was so good at his job as being a sales man and working at the Hampton Inn & Best Western. He loved his work family and felt like they were all his adopted kids and grand kids. Bompa also loved sports. And even though they broke his heart more times then not he was a die hard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan. He was a collector of wheat pennies and when the new quarters came out he wanted to collect every state! He had amazing talents like eating an ENTIRE apple, seeds and all. The only thing ever left was the steam. He remembered every ones birthdays. You name a month and he would just rattle off dates. He always sent birthday cards and called on that special day. And he always made sure he and Grandma had updated pictures for their annual Christmas card. And I know we all looked forward to see what that years theme was.

Bompa loved the beach and being tan and even got the nickname Bahama Bompa. He also loved sitting on his back deck soaking up the sun. While he was in the hospital he even talked about how if he only had a nickel for every time the nurses talked about how tan he was; he acted annoyed but we all knew he loved it. He loved Friday night Zaxbys chicken wing night and Rock Port shoes. He carried his brown shaving kit with him where ever he went. He loved game shows like Price is Right and Deal or No Deal. He always had Tic Tacs, Werthers Originals or any type of hard candy.

And I think that we can all agree that he loved jokes! He loved hearing them and telling them! He always seemed to have a new one but didn't mind telling you an old one that you had heard 30 times before. He loved telling us how the biggest joke he ever played was getting Grandma to marry him on April Fools day and how the dog bit his pinkie off.

Growing up you would walk in Bompa and Grandma's house and it was always full of food and the garage was packed full of soft drinks. And Bompa would always say if you can't find anything in this house to eat or drink in this house then you aren't hungry. He ALWAYS spilled food on his shirt EVERY TIME he ate. He would quickly try to clean him self up but we would always wait for it to happen and once it did we'd say "Who forgot to feed Bompa".

One of his favorite things was to have his head rubbed. He'd always ask whoever was standing by to rub his head. He'd toss his head back and take off his glasses. We'd rub his forehead and the bridge of his nose he'd always say, that hurts so good. When we were little and would be unhappy and crying he would always say I'm gonna count to 3 and you better not smile....1.2......3 and still to this day I can't get to the count of three without smiling! He always talked about how we a GOOD looking family (and he and grandma started it all).

He was always the first to play any game! His new love was Wii Bowling. But he loved Bochee ball, horse shoes, and cowboy golf. But most of all he loved cards! Texas hold em, Rummy, Bridge, Spades but our family favorite Knock 31. When it was time to play he would get his seat ready and then head to his bedroom to get his money bag. Bompa was always the bank. When we were younger we would need our dollar changed into quarters and then when we were older our bills needed to be broken down to singles. And 7 out of 10 times Bompa was always in the finale. During these games he would start telling his jokes and at some point get the giggles. His face would turn all red, he'd have to take his glasses off and then tears would start rolling down his face. And once they started they just got worse and it seemed contagious.

Another one of his favorite things was to read the obituaries. He would always say "As long as my name isn't in here it's gonna be a good day." but then he'd say he's got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. He always talked and joked about death but I guess that's so this day came it would be easier for us.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, no crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" Revelation 21:4

And you know one reason I believe that Bompa could talk and make so many jokes about death is because he knew where he was going. Heaven was his home, not here. A place with no more diabetes so he can eat as many sweets and desserts that he wants. No more ailing body so he can walk around pain free. No more medication, no more worry and no more fear. He knew God and Jesus was his Lord and Savior, and because of those two things and God's promise He knew that he was going to a much better place than this place of here and now! He gets to live in eternity where every day is an awesome day. Think of your greatest day here on Earth.....well Heaven is that day times 50 and you get experience that every day. So we can't be mad at Bompa for going there we just need to be jealous!

We are selfish human beings and want our loved ones to stay here with us but then when you know about the never ending bliss of Heaven and living in God's presence everyday how could we ask him to stay here. We need to strive to live the lives that God intended for us and know that one day God will call us home and that Bompa will be apart of that cheering section waiting to welcome you! Just like Zack was when Bompa arrived at the pearly gates.

Thank you God for putting such a man in all of our lives. We have been so beyond blessed to know Roland Young. Thank you for the amazing man he was and for all the memories that we have be able to have with him. Thank you for the promise that one day we will get to see each other again and live in bliss together forever and ever! So today we wipe away our tears of sorrow because we are sad for us. But we cry in tears of happiness for the life that you now get to live. We love you Bompa!