For this week's Forget Me Not Friday post, I'm featuring a man that I am proud to call my grandfather: Leonard Freemont Testorff.
Leonard was my paternal grandfather, born October 29, 1915 in Oswego, Labette County, Kansas. His parents were August Henry Testorff and Neta Jane (Eads) Testorff, and he had one brother, Kenneth Paul; and also two sisters, Nina Geraldine, and Betty Jane.
Grandpa married my grandmother, Mable Louise Bigham on February 1, 1941 in Columbus, Kansas. They would live in Oswego, Kansas and have two sons, including my father, Kenneth Harold, and my uncle, Russell Leonard.
It seems fitting, since it's Veterans Day, to honor my grandfather's military service. He enlisted in the Army on November 14, 1943 and would serve his country until December 30, 1945. He achieved the rank of TEC 5--Technician 5th Grade. He is the tall one in the photo, below.
Grandpa Testorff lived to the ripe old age of 88, passing away on January 9, 2004, in Oswego, Kansas. He was a kind, religious, family man, who was a carpenter, drove an old school bus, loved to fish, and played the fiddle. He was quite the musician, in fact, performing with more than one band.
I didn't get to spend a lot of time with my Grandpa T, because we always lived in opposite parts of the country. But we always corresponded and he always had some loving words of wisdom and faith to share with me. I miss his letters, and I miss him and my grandma more than I can say. I loved them very much.
Check out a sampling of my Grandpa and his Over the Hill Gang band from my SoundCloud gadget below!
This one's for you, Grandpa T. Love you always!
