A Belated Tribute

Marc's grandfather, also named Marc Ricks, passed away earlier this month at the age of 100. Marc was able to attend his funeral last week in Utah along with large numbers of family and friends who came to say goodbye. The boys and I couldn't go- we could swing one unexpected plane ticket but not four- but I thought I'd write a little bit about this man who gave my husband his name.
By the time I joined the family, Grandpa Ricks was already 91 years old. I'm sad that I never knew him as Marc did, but I did get to hear a few of his stories at family gatherings. The story he was most fond of telling me was about playing his violin. He loved to play classical and operatic pieces. He took his violin with him when he left to serve a mission for our church in Switzerland. He served in the French speaking part of the country and was asked to play his beautiful music on more than one occasion. Once, he played during a church service. It was a piece from a French opera and though he spoke the French language enough to teach the gospel he was not well versed in the lyrics of operas. As he finished the piece, he looked out at the congregation and noted a distinct feeling of unease. One member took him aside later and informed him that though the music was beautiful, the lyrics to that particular piece were about a raunchy love scene and inappropriate for church.
He would always laugh in his wheezy way after telling me this story.
I think I would be satisfied if I could live life as fully as Grandpa Ricks. In his declining years, after his wife had passed away, he reduced his life to only the essentials- reading and eating nothing but Oreo cookies and milk.
I am grateful for the legacy he leaves for my husband and boys. I know that he touched many lives and often offered his services as a family doctor for little or no payment. I think Marc's passion for medicine stems largely from his grandfather. In fact, the similarities between old and young Marc Ricks are remarkable. Both are doctors- we have Grandpa Ricks' fascinating old medical texts and some old equipment. Grandpa Ricks spent much of his life in the San Francisco area running his family practice. Marc served his mission in San Francisco and also fell in love with the bay city. Both received master's degrees before deciding to go on to medical school and both loved to read.
Marc jokes that when he begins to interview for jobs or fellowships and they ask him where he sees himself in the next 5-10 years that he'll answer, "I'm planning to travel back in time and become my own Grandpa."
While I am not a fan of that idea I wouldn't mind if, in many ways, Marc becomes just like him.