{Grandpa Elmer Lurker}

Elmer Lurker at age of 2

Elmer and Helen (sister) I think age 4 and 2Elmer
Grandma and Grandpa came to visit us when Andrew was born. This is them with Andrew and Hailey.

One of the last visits to see grandma and grandpa

Thanksgiving 2007 almost all the cousins

From left to right~ dad, susan, grandma, grandpa, dave

I did this picture for a class. You had to combine some pictures together.

Grandpa was a great man. He served in the military for about 30 years as an air plane pilot. Served on the SSR Ranger. This took him all around the world. He traveled to such places as India, China, and Japan. He had such great stories and treasures from all the travels. Such as Hummal (sp?) dolls and brass tables . He retired from the military when my dad was 11 years old in Orange County, California. Grandpa loved to work with his hands making stuff with wood. He made clocks, wagons, toy cars, furniture. He was happiest when he was in his garage. His health stopped him from making things lately. Every christmas we would get something that grandpa had made. All the girls got hand held mirrors made out of cherry wood, clocks for all the grandkids, a wagon, cradle, book ends. Grandpa loved to buy us stuff when we came to visit them because we didn't ever live close to them, he loved to spoil us. If he bought something it would be in a set of 4 for all of us. He made sure that we were taken care of.

Another thing that grandpa loved was food, for sure candy. He always had a bag of candy everywhere he went. His favorites were mints, bit o honey, candy canes, butterscotch candies, mostly hard candies. When they gave us their van, grandpa had filled the compartments between the seats with candy. After grandpa had died the family found stashes of candy that grandpa had bought, but hadn't got to yet. He also loved oranges. This is something that both of my grandpas have in common. Grandpa loved to buy them in bulk. I got this from them, I love oranges too.

My grandma and grandpa lived in Orange County for about 40 years and moved onto a military retirement home and have lived there for about 10 years. Grandpa had a great impact on the military home. He served on the financial board for several years.

Grandpa has had a full life of many wonderful blessing.