Well, my first memory of Opa is red and vinyl. Do you all remember those red and blue mattresses in Huntington Harbor? They were foam and we used them when the house was full? I have a very strong memory of Opa lining the three of us up on one, covering us with a second mattress, and then rolling on us. And us giggling and giggling.
Dad got a 14' catamaran speed boat when we lived in Sacramento (1962); he took us to Folsom Lake to water ski. I remember the rush when Dad hit the accelerator, the line tightened up, and I got jerked out of the water and up on the skis.
Dad coached my Little League baseball team. At the end of the season, all the coaches got together and played an "adult" game. Dad pitched (he was a lefty). He did great, but there was a good hitter on the other team. Dad got a couple of strikes on him, but then tried to throw him a curve; it disappeared deep in the outfield. His admonishmnet to me: never hang a curve.
Opa got the 58 Impala convertable in Sacramento...or did we drive it from Ohio? It was a bomb..bright yellow. Did a great job of hauling the catamaran up to Folsom, and no doubt of hauling back and forth on the road to his big job at McClellan AFB.
One summer day, I think Opa decided to see if I'd inherited the golf gene. We headed off to Hueneme, pulled into the O-5 and above parking spot and set up at the driving range. A little coaching here and there but a few swings into it the club slipped out of my hand and flew about 10 yards down the range. I looked down the line to see more than a few shaking aviator shaded heads as I ran out to pick it up. Opa didn't say anything but I don't ever remember going back.
Graduation from Occidental, 1991: Areta (my Grandmother from my Dad's side) came down to be there. We all went out to lunch afterwards, she was the first to ask for the check. Opa immediately stepped in, said "No, no, I got it". But it was no good, she was already on it. He tried a few more times, but she finally said: "Now Herb, I came the farthest, I get the check". He got a real kick out of that, that nice smile like when he heard a good joke, and in a very gentlemanly way, said "OK, it's all yours".
Dad caught me as I jumped off the diving board at age 3; coached my little league team; let me drive the corvair even after I essentially flunked my driving test (and later crashed the corvair into a parked car); paid my tuition at CalTech; got me started with my first house in Santa Barbara, and every crazy real estate deal thereafter; help me find every vehicle I have ever owned (Julie owns the Honda); taught me golf when I was 56; went body surfing in 5' waves in Maui when he was 75; and laughed at the last joke I told him just last evening. I'm glad he got the last laugh.
We have very good memories of Opa & I will especially cherish the time I spent with him in the golf cart while Steve & Timmy were golfing (2006). It was fun to hear his commentary on the swings & hits. And while we waited for you two - I asked him if I could get him something & so, we went inside & he bought a big candy bar. That was fun!
Herb came to our wedding 8 years ago when Amelia and I got married in Arizona. But it wasn't until this year that I really came to know about him, and what I know is enough to say that I'm very glad for it. Kevin M. Schaefer
I must have been four or five years old, in the backyard at Beavercreek (Xenia Ohio). He had just thrown me, straight up, about eighty-five feet in the air. The view downward, with him looking up at me, arms outstretched, as I decended from orbit, is etched in my mind in very high resolution.
PS. He caught me, neat and clean, before I cratered the backyard.
This goes back many, many years when my Uncle Johnny was in CA on business for the A.F. and he stopped in to see Mamo and Pop. At the time, I was a student at U.C.L.A. and living with them. It happened to be my birthday, possibly the big 21. Johnny presented me with a bouquet of red roses and took me out to dinner. He was in his dress blues and don't you know, I was IMPRESSED! I can still see him in my mind's eye, him and his quirky smile. Good memories.
Wow this brings back some good memories. Uncle Johnny (my mom's uncle)and Aunt Connie gave us a place to stay until we found one after moving back from Italy. Reading the other comments jogged many things about staying with them in Huntington Harbor(did the name change from Huntington Beach?) like the red and blue mattresses and his gorilla imitation Steve mentions when he didn't like something. To this day I still tell friends about his flying in the airforce, that has always stuck in my mind. Does anyone else remember being fed wheat germ and vitamin tablets at breakfast. Those are some of the things I remember about staying with them when visiting. Always having the door open for all who should come. And of course the sailing. It's where I learned, on that little skiff that is probably still around.
Bob and Debbie Merz would like to tell Connie that we are so sorry to hear about Herb's passing. Herb and Connie have been friends with Bill and Lee Merz for many years, I believe they met at church. They were nice enough to help us celebrate Bill's 90th birthday last year. I really like the picture of them sitting together, they are a beautiful couple. Bob and I would like to extend our condolences to all of the family, we remember Herb as a very spirited and fun loving guy and we will miss him.
Betty and I were always very amused by his "I must be coco!" and then a slap to his head. This happened when he had minor verbal skirmishes with Connie at mealtime and it was always accompanied with a cute smirk.
Nearly every summer when we would visit Ventura there would surely be a new (to the Johnson family) big American car in the garage -- even thought Japanese cars weren't too bad, Opa would assure us. I remember how big Opa would smile when he would tell us about the car, and the great bargain he struck to get that car home!
17 comments:
Here's one. Opa's gorilla imitation.
He still manages a small snarl when annoyed from too much forced feeding in the hospital bed.
Well, my first memory of Opa is red and vinyl. Do you all remember those red and blue mattresses in Huntington Harbor? They were foam and we used them when the house was full? I have a very strong memory of Opa lining the three of us up on one, covering us with a second mattress, and then rolling on us. And us giggling and giggling.
Dad got a 14' catamaran speed boat when we lived in Sacramento (1962); he took us to Folsom Lake to water ski. I remember the rush when Dad hit the accelerator, the line tightened up, and I got jerked out of the water and up on the skis.
Dad coached my Little League baseball team. At the end of the season, all the coaches got together and played an "adult" game. Dad pitched (he was a lefty). He did great, but there was a good hitter on the other team. Dad got a couple of strikes on him, but then tried to throw him a curve; it disappeared deep in the outfield. His admonishmnet to me: never hang a curve.
http://www.autohistoryclub.com/files/chevrolet_impala__1958.htm
Opa got the 58 Impala convertable in Sacramento...or did we drive it from Ohio? It was a bomb..bright yellow. Did a great job of hauling the catamaran up to Folsom, and no doubt of hauling back and forth on the road to his big job at McClellan AFB.
One summer day, I think Opa decided to see if I'd inherited the golf gene. We headed off to Hueneme, pulled into the O-5 and above parking spot and set up at the driving range. A little coaching here and there but a few swings into it the club slipped out of my hand and flew about 10 yards down the range. I looked down the line to see more than a few shaking aviator shaded heads as I ran out to pick it up. Opa didn't say anything but I don't ever remember going back.
Graduation from Occidental, 1991: Areta (my Grandmother from my Dad's side) came down to be there. We all went out to lunch afterwards, she was the first to ask for the check. Opa immediately stepped in, said "No, no, I got it". But it was no good, she was already on it. He tried a few more times, but she finally said: "Now Herb, I came the farthest, I get the check". He got a real kick out of that, that nice smile like when he heard a good joke, and in a very gentlemanly way, said "OK, it's all yours".
Dad caught me as I jumped off the diving board at age 3; coached my little league team; let me drive the corvair even after I essentially flunked my driving test (and later crashed the corvair into a parked car); paid my tuition at CalTech; got me started with my first house in Santa Barbara, and every crazy real estate deal thereafter; help me find every vehicle I have ever owned (Julie owns the Honda); taught me golf when I was 56; went body surfing in 5' waves in Maui when he was 75; and laughed at the last joke I told him just last evening. I'm glad he got the last laugh.
From Joseph Mathew:
We have very good memories of Opa & I will especially cherish the time I spent with him in the golf cart while Steve & Timmy were golfing (2006). It was fun to hear his commentary on the swings & hits. And while we waited for you two - I asked him if I could get him something & so, we went inside & he bought a big candy bar. That was fun!
Herb came to our wedding 8 years ago when Amelia and I got married in Arizona. But it wasn't until this year that I really came to know about him, and what I know is enough to say that I'm very glad for it. Kevin M. Schaefer
Earliest memory of Dad:
I must have been four or five years old, in the backyard at Beavercreek (Xenia Ohio). He had just thrown me, straight up, about eighty-five feet in the air. The view downward, with him looking up at me, arms outstretched, as I decended from orbit, is etched in my mind in very high resolution.
PS. He caught me, neat and clean, before I cratered the backyard.
This goes back many, many years when my Uncle Johnny was in CA on business for the A.F. and he stopped in to see Mamo and Pop. At the time, I was a student at U.C.L.A. and living with them. It happened to be my birthday, possibly the big 21. Johnny presented me with a bouquet of red roses and took me out to dinner. He was in his dress blues and don't you know, I was IMPRESSED! I can still see him in my mind's eye, him and his quirky smile. Good memories.
Wow this brings back some good memories. Uncle Johnny (my mom's uncle)and Aunt Connie gave us a place to stay until we found one after moving back from Italy. Reading the other comments jogged many things about staying with them in Huntington Harbor(did the name change from Huntington Beach?) like the red and blue mattresses and his gorilla imitation Steve mentions when he didn't like something. To this day I still tell friends about his flying in the airforce, that has always stuck in my mind. Does anyone else remember being fed wheat germ and vitamin tablets at breakfast. Those are some of the things I remember about staying with them when visiting. Always having the door open for all who should come. And of course the sailing. It's where I learned, on that little skiff that is probably still around.
Bob and Debbie Merz would like to tell Connie that we are so sorry to hear about Herb's passing. Herb and Connie have been friends with Bill and Lee Merz for many years, I believe they met at church. They were nice enough to help us celebrate Bill's 90th birthday last year. I really like the picture of them sitting together, they are a beautiful couple. Bob and I would like to extend our condolences to all of the family, we remember Herb as a very spirited and fun loving guy and we will miss him.
Dan's photos from the family gathering:
http://picasaweb.google.com/danstadler/VenturaWeekend
Betty and I were always very amused by his "I must be coco!" and then a slap to his head. This happened when he had minor verbal skirmishes with Connie at mealtime and it was always accompanied with a cute smirk.
Nearly every summer when we would visit Ventura there would surely be a new (to the Johnson family) big American car in the garage -- even thought Japanese cars weren't too bad, Opa would assure us. I remember how big Opa would smile when he would tell us about the car, and the great bargain he struck to get that car home!
Post a Comment