When he answered the phone, Michele was calling to tell him that Grandpa Bob had passed away that morning, shortly after waking up. That 1 minute call changed our entire plans. Matt and I started prepping for our trip to Michigan. Within 24 hours, we found ourselves packed and on the road to Portage, Michigan, we had a brief stop in Bismarck to pick up Michele, eat and then we were off.
Here’s how the start of the ride went:
(MJR driving, Michele shotgun, ALR in backseat)
MJR: We are going to take road blah to road blah to road blah.
Michele: NAH AH!!! We are taking road blah to road blah.
MJR: No, We are taking Blah not Blah.
Michele: Let me pull out MY atlas!
MJR: Why do we have GPS if you brought an atlas?
Michele: I like to look at maps.
MJR: I do too, let me see.
Michele: NO!!! YOU are DRIVING!!! I’m looking!
MJR: When I looked it up it’s blah to blah to blah around Chicago and blah.
Michele: No…BLAH will take you into Chicago.
MJR: why don’t we pay attention to where the GPS takes us?
Michele: She will lead us astray and be wrong!
MJR: Why do we have her then?
Michele: Because. Amanda, do you want to see where we are going? Do you want to look at the map.
ALR: (watching the billboards of Bismarck drive by at 79 miles per hour wondering what I signed up for)
This was the first fight about the map and the roads…but not the last and I write using Blah because I didn’t care what roads we used to get there…just get me there.
So we drove..and drove…and that’s when I determined bathroom breaks were frowned upon. This is the part of the blog that I give light that we took my car. Now…I didn’t get to drive my car and I had no influence over it’s stop. I think this is what we refer to as a hostage situation. I was being held against my will and denied basic human rights. Water, bread, etc. This remained constant through the trip there and back. I was told things may be different if the situation for the trip was different, but I’m not trusting this quite yet.
Back to the trip. We stayed in Eau Claire, Wisconsin the first night. We decided to eat at the Green Mill, which was attached to the hotel…poor service and mediocre food. My soup was good and it hit the spot. Best meal of the day was subs and pizza at Nardellos in Bismarck. Service was great and the food was wonderful.
Next day, we woke up. I was given shotgun privileges. This later was transferred into keeper of the tollbooth change, which was more expensive than one would imagine. One toll was $3 all by itself…we had to have paid over $15 in tolls. That doesn’t discount for driving on construction. I thought we were sick of it with it being on our main road in Dickinson, I was wrong…it was more irritating in Illinois. We did not stop in Chicago for Chicago dogs and I cried a bit in my head…so close but so far away.
We did end up stopping for a brief breakfast at Steak and Shake. Now this is where I’m reminded that I live in North Dakota. Gas is currently $3.52 and diesel is $3.99. You can’t have a lunch in a sitdown restaurant without having a full hour because service is slow and they are busy and you can’t do it under $12.00. They don’t have value menus at fast food places because they don’t need to. The food (fast food or other) is also mediocre at best and the service is bad at best. Now fast forward, the three of us ate there for $18.00, tip included. The meal was good…the portions were huge and we left content. We continued on to Portage.
When we got there, Matt showed me the house that he spent many summers at. Now, Matt handled the news of his grandfather’s death well, he said he had made peace with this and will remember the man that was full of life, a full schedule, and a dog near him. Seeing these major pieces that contributed to the man I loved was moving. Seeing the view of the lake and the places that we remembered going with his grandparents was touching. He became nostalgic with the memories that came flooding back and it was nice to see what had made such a big impression on him. I had never met Bob so I wasn’t sure what I was going to expect when things got rolling when we arrived at the house.
Things were in full swing, a schedule was set. The viewing was on Thursday and the funeral and burial was Friday. Lee, Matt’s grandmother seemed in good condition all things considered. She was having trouble with people and faces but her appetite was clear and seemed to be awake and talking more than the family had seen in the past.
Thursday started off with a walk down Matt’s memory lane to the Air Zoo. This was a spot that was synonymous with Bob in Matt’s mind. He remembered the planes, the displays, the models, and simulators, the depictions/dioramas and it suddenly made me realize the impact that this man had on my husband. Matt’s interest and love of aviation and flight could be traced back to the influence of Robert Remynse.
From the Air Zoo, we headed back and prepped for the viewing. I was glad that the family was able to get together for the most part. The only face that we were missing was Eric, who had just left and wasn’t able to get off the boat in time. His presence was made known though through stories. But the family was there to be there for Lee and support each other. The wood casket was beautiful and the flag was draped in honor of his service.
The funeral was the next day and the service was nice. The pastor related the versus and the message back to Bob’s loves and life. I do laugh at Lee’s thinking the service should have been a bit shorter, but things were positive for the most part. The meal was nice and upon finishing, they prepared to go to the cemetery. The pallbearers were the three father/son pairs and in their respective order. I thought it was a nice touch. The drive to the cemetery was hard for Matt. Don’t read into that, it wasn’t because of the final good bye, which I know was on his mind. But when in a processional, you don’t stop for red lights or signs. You stay in the line and you just go. The tribute honks and looks were thoughtful.
When we got there, we prepared for the final goodbyes. The most beautiful piece of his service was the honor guard. The tribute and grace was amazing. And the thank you when the soldier presented Lee with the American flag was a moment that I won’t forget. The final goodbyes were brief at the cemetery. We did take a few minutes to see other family members. We found Bob’s father and sister and his grandparents. We also made a trek over and found Lee’s parents. The amazing part was when she showed up, she knew her maternal grandparents were close by and she knew it was Peter and after a bit of searching, she was right…they were right behind them. The tombstone was just facing opposite directions.
We also had a remembrance meal that night at “Upper Crust” a pizza place in their old neighborhood. The pizza was like nothing I’d had…it was square and thick. The conversation flowed. The meal was amazing, we all stuffed ourselves, and it was amazing to hear the memories and the laughs. There was even some “quarters” played and I had to laugh when the woman who had never heard of the game and had to be shown how to hold the quarter got it into the shot on the first try! Nancy, Matt’s aunt’s throw was great! This was probably my favorite meal of the trip because of the conversation, the food, and the love that was evident.
The other part of the trip that was my favorite was reviewing of pictures. There were pictures from Matt’s great-grandparents to Matt’s younger days. The 3 brothers growing up with their “hair styles”. The war pics, the family pics, the house pics. They were all great. I was finally starting to connect all the dots from Ruthie to Mark to Nancy to Curly to Eddie to Kevie to Laurence to Harry. Their photos were kept well and dated back so many years. It was obvious that Bob was a lover of women. There were pages of different women in one book that we didn’t know who they were or how they connected to anyone.
Kevin: My father was a slut. Who was Mardi? Margaret? Helen? ALR: This photo just says, “A Czech girl, good looking kid!” on the back.
But the photos were sweet. You could tell that he carried some with him and that this preservation was important to him. I did find in his baby book that if he had been a girl, his name would have been “Jean”. I won’t forget the review of his items, from the birth certificate to his dog tags to his war pics to the bomber jacket…he had some amazing memories and I have a feeling that he would have loved his family to be there pouring over them all around the table.
MJR: I wouldn’t trade those summers for anything. I remember my grandparents and the things we did and the times we had. I would spend hours at the air zoo with him and after looking around, I would go with him on the tours. And because the pilots knew him, sometimes when they would go up, they’d take Eric and I and we’d fly over the lake house. And sometimes he’d take me to the golf course, that may have been where I got my temper when I play. He’d let me hit every once in awhile but as I got older we’d go to his big course to play. I remember going to Subway with Grandma and she’d tell me “You know what I want” and I’d go in and order 3 six inch subs. The last year I had to order a footlong. They were great summers. I won’t forget these things.
The final leg of the trip was to head up to the UP...another first for me. We saw some of those that had been there for Michele and Randy while they were stationed there, had a bit of dinner, and did a review of the land that they still have there. I'd never walked through something like that. The trees, the denseness, the leaves, the color. There were brilliant colors and it was great to see a big part of their life that continues to be a bright spot in their memories.
From the world of fashion to the world to politics, forces clashed in the 1920s to produce one of the most explosive decades of the century. An age of prohibition, prosperity followed many new advancements, discoveries, and inventions of the day which greatly improved the American way of life. A sense of gaiety filled the air, and The Roaring Twenties challenged America’s once conservative nature all while bringing a sense of hope to the nation. During this time of change on August 21, 1925, Lawrence and Katherine (Keegan) Remynse welcomed the arrival of their newborn son, Robert into their arms.
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Robert was the oldest of six children in his family. He grew up in Kalamazoo in the Oakwood neighborhood where he spent most of his free time caddying at the Kalamazoo Country Club. Robert enjoyed a childhood typical for the times even as the onset of the Great Depression cast a shadow among all. He found his share of mischief as a young boy and enjoyed the adventures of his youth. Robert attended the local elementary school and moved on to Oakwood Junior High before attending and graduating from Kalamazoo Central High School.
During World War II, Robert entered the U.S. Army Air Corp where he served as a tail gunner flying in 49 battles over Italy. Simply a young man with aspirations of winning the war, he was truly a war hero to his family. Following his honorable discharge from the service, he began working for the Upjohn Company. He worked hard to support his young family all while furthering his education on the GI Bill.
Robert's life was in for a few more changes when he met a pretty young lady who stole his heart. On December 17, 1954 he married Lena “Lee” Deiterman who took his young daughter, Nancy on as her own. Before long, Robert and Lee added three sons to their fold with the births of Rick, Randy, and Kevin, who always considered himself the favorite!
After graduating from Western Michigan University in 1959, Robert landed a job with Michigan Bell Telephone Company working as a salesman for the Yellow Pages. He excelled in this capacity and with his outgoing personality; he developed a faithful client base throughout the years. His talents also landed him numerous trophies and awards from sales campaigns. He remained with Michigan Bell for the remainder of his career until 1983 when he retired at the age of 58.
Faith was a vital part of Robert's life. He and Lee were longtime, faithful members of the Lord of Life Lutheran Church. Robert loved the game of golf and he played on many church leagues over the years. Along with golf, Robert loved to fish. His favorite fishing hole was on Sugarloaf Lake with his best friend, Al Vemich. Among his varied interests, Robert bowled for many years and was an avid Chicago Cubs fan. He loved a good game of poker, and every Thursday night for nearly 30 years, Robert and a group of five of his buddies got together to play poker.
Pizza was a tradition amongst the Remynse men. For years, Robert made Appian Way pizzas every Friday. First you make the dough and then season the sauce just so. This love of pizza perfection was quickly handed down to his sons creating a friendly rivalry amongst brothers. Although, the competition was fierce the end result was always the same, family together eating pizza made from scratch all because Robert made a pizza every Friday night.
When it came to gambling, both, Robert and Lee LOVED to gamble. They spent a month every year traveling by car to Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada for a little video poker before heading to California to visit their "favorite" son, Kevin. After taking in some gambling there, they traveled on to North Dakota to see their son, Randy and gambling at the Indian tribe casinos there before heading back to Michigan. To get their fix in Michigan, they kept the chips stacked at the FireKeepers Casino.
Robert served over 20 years as a volunteer for the Kalamazoo Air Zoo as a Docent. Near and dear to his heart, he absolutely loved talking about the military and his years as a tail gunner gave him inside knowledge on the planes. Robert also had a love for his canine companions. Over the years he had a lovable Basset Hound named Betsy, and a German Shepard mix named Bambi. Each of Robert’s dogs tended to be on the chunky side as he never wanted them to go hungry.
His six grandchildren and great-grandson gave Robert quite a sparkle in his eye. He loved his family beyond compare and was truly proud of them. Always outgoing, he was quite the talker and shared the friendships of many. It was always a pleasure to be in his company as he delighted all with his stories, kindness, and fun-loving ways. He was generous and was known to hide a $100 bill in the house when family was coming over or when he was visiting one of his kids. The fun and excitement of everyone hunting for it brought much laughter and good times shared.
As the years began to descend upon Robert, he began experiencing age related issues. He had 88 great years of living to the fullest with the exception of the last three weeks which embattled Robert to the core. As his health rapidly went downhill, Robert sadly died at his home on Monday, October 7, 2013.
Robert Remynse was a loving family man who would have done anything for those he loved. He was blessed with an abundance of friends, many with whom he developed throughout his career. He proudly served his country, and whenever he and Lee got a gambling itch, they hit the road. Gone but never to be forgotten. Robert's memory will live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.
Visit with Robert’s family on Thursday, October 10, 2013 from 4-7 PM at Life Story Funeral Homes, Portage; 5975 Lovers Lane (344-5600). A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 11, 2013, 11:00 AM at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 9420 Portage Road, Portage.
Robert was preceded in death by his sister, Ruth Parker. Members of his family include his wife Lee; children: Nancy (Ashraf Maher) Remynse, Rick (Jerri) Remynse, Randy (Michele) Remynse, Kevin Remynse; grandchildren: Jason (Sara) Remynse, Kevie Remynse, Matthew (Amanda) Remynse, Nathan and Eric Remynse; Beth (Christopher) Fryling; his great-grandson, Jason Remynse II; siblings: Ellie Follin, Harry Carruth, Raymond Carruth, Richard Carruth; many other relatives.
A video link I found online about his time in the war.
Bombing Missions, another link. Matt reviewed his mission book where Bob got a bit more descriptive on things that were happening.
MJR: "According to this, they must have been low on fuel a lot!"
Just came across this Amanda. Amazing and wonderful narrative of dad's funeral. You nailed it!!
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