My Grandpa Cooney , President of Fish & Game & More

He washed his hands with Borax soap, soothed his sore muscles with BenGay, drank one cup of Sanka in the morning  (with  a bowl of Wheaties ), and  one Schlitz beer  after dinner each evening . He liked raspberries  and baseball, and smoked a pipe.   He wasn't a man of great wealth or prestige , but to me my Grandpa Cooney was everything good and grand; my hero. Loving, caring and fun to be around.  I felt secure and safe when I was with him , and special.  Grandpa called me his , "Little Brown Eyed Sweetheart”, and I never doubted I wasn't .

Grandpa was an upholsterer by trade . When I was still a toddler some of my earliest outtings was my mother taking me  to visit Grandpa at his  upholstery  shop on S. Main St. in Council Bluffs.  No matter how busy he was , he'd stop what he was doing to spend time with me. Some might accuse me of being bias when I tell them Grandpa was the finest upholsterer in the Mid West, but I don't think I’m being biased.  Well, maybe a little. But grandpa truly was recognized by his peers, and customers  as being a talented, first class upholsterer. 

An image, tender and endearing of  Grandpa leaving for work, backing out the long gravel driveway, and me pressing my face against the back bedroom  window to wave goodbye give me a happy feeling  as I remember him looking toward me, smiling and waving back.  Through the years  Grandma delighted in reminiscing , telling others  how I'd wait for Cecil to get home from work , and run like a bee line to take  Grandpa his bedroom slippers the moment he sat down in his old comfortable Morris chair.

A few days ago, a  letter from my cousin,  Lynn  arrived in the mail,  he enclosed a long ago newspaper article from the Council Bluffs Nonpareil about Grandpa Cooney being elected president of  the Council Bluffs Fish and Game club.  Seeing the picture of Grandpa and reading the article about him   warmed my heart, and made me wish I could reach out to touch his hand, and give him a hug ; for him to sit in the Morris chair again so I could take him his slippers. 

Besides Fish and Game , Grandpa  was also active with Scouting and served as Scout commissioner and Scoutmaster.  While serving as a Boy Scout leader ,  those who knew him well  said  his goal was to encourage Scouts to work toward becoming an Eagle  Scout. Something he proudly saw all three of his sons do, including my Dad.

My Grandpa was 65  when he passed away in 1962.  I was 11.  Many years have come and gone since then, and while memories can fade and dim lightly  over time,  one thing doesn't change, nor is forgotten. A grandfathers sweet love for his granddaughter , and her great love for him. 

                                                                 

                                                       

 * Cecil E. Cooney , my grandfather
In celebration of his birthday, August 3