For the most part, he was an old-fashioned guy. Every morning, he’d read the paper and have a cup of coffee. When he wanted to be entertained, he’d watch a ballgame – hockey and baseball were his favorites – oftentimes with a cold beer at his side. He played golf and enjoyed going to the movies. He liked sandwiches. And he taught me a lot, both directly and through the values that he embodied in his conduct and actions.

Here are five lessons of my grandfather that are worth sharing:

1. Get a good education. He dropped out of high school to enlist in flight school during World War II – something he had the courage to later admit was a mistake. As a result, he took an active interest in the education of all of his younger family members and always encouraged us to do our best.
2. Keep active. For as long as his body allowed him, my grandfather played golf and went for a walk each morning.
3. Stay informed and stay connected. He was always knowledgeable about current affairs, despite the fact that he never owned a personal computer. Additionally, he kept up to date with the lives of those close to him – in our conversations, I was amazed at some of the details he’d recall from our previous talks.
4. Take joy in simple things. My grandfather never lost his sense of wonderment. For all that he’d seen and been through, he knew there were still new things to learn, or to see and experience. He was a child – in the most positive aspects of the term.
5. You are as young as you feel. Building off the previous point, on Monday, we visited him in his assisted living home. We spoke during his lunch, which (judging by the expression on his face) he found unappetizing. The nurse noticed this and brought him a serving of vanilla ice cream in a small Styrofoam container. He went after it with such intensity that I thought he would puncture a hole in the container. He didn’t do that, but made sure to eat every last drop. Who else but a child would do that?

I’m glad he lived a full life. I’m grateful for the time we had together. He was a great role model and an even better friend. I will miss him.