The Life of My Grandpa

An Interview with Gilbert

By Dorothy Graham

“I had a strong work ethic at a very young age.” My grandpa's childhood experiences prepared him to face the world on his own and shaped him into the person he is today. My grandpa is a hardworking man. He has accomplished a lot in his life, and I am going to pass his story on. I am going to show you what he has overcome and accomplished in his long, fulfilling, life. I am spreading his message so that no person is forgotten in the wide history of the world, especially not him. He has traveled around the world, gotten married, raised a successful kid, retired, and lived a fulfilling life. Maybe, by listening to his story, his wisdom will be able to help you live one, too. 

This is his story.

What are you proud of?

His family and his child, which is the most important thing in life.

If you were to be awarded something, what would it be for? 

Being true to himself, treating people fairly, being a man of his word, and keeping integrity. 

What childhood experience shaped you into who you are? 

My grandpa had a strong work ethic at a very young age. From the time he was a young boy, all the way through college, he would take two paper routes in the early mornings before school.

What jobs did you have at college?

He worked seven days a week, ten hours a day at the zoo. 

Who influenced you in your childhood? 

His scoutmaster. My grandpa completed the Boy Scouts program and eventually earned the Eagle Badge, which was the best and hardest badge to get. He also had sixty merit badges and was a member of the Order of the Arrow, an honor society that only went to superior scouts. My grandpa’s experience in Boy Scouts gave him self-confidence and leadership skills, preparing him to attend college and join the military. He enjoyed his time as an officer in the military, but he didn’t stay. Although he would have been promoted to captain and company commander if he stayed, he would have also had to return to Vietnam for another year. One year was enough; he quit. 

What was your first car? 

A Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport. 

Why that one? 

My grandpa had never owned a car before. Just before completing the Blue Line Ceremony in Officer Training School, he bought it. It appealed to him at the time because he wanted something fun and sporty. 

How did you meet your wife? 

Through work at Westinghouse. She had taken an interview in the service division. He told himself he shouldn’t date people from work, but he dated her nonetheless. One thing led to another, and after about ten months, they decided to get married. He says she was magic. 

What was your favorite job?

His first job, when he was the youngest human resource manager in the whole Westinghouse corporation. He was moving an entire operation. It was his favorite because it was the hardest; the greatest challenge. When he took his first job, he wasn’t sure if he was capable of doing it. Once he proved that it was possible, his successive promotions weren’t as exciting. They were more money and more promotions, but they were never something he doubted he could handle. 

What advice do you have for future generations?

Have fun in the formative years of your life. Smile and laugh every day. But also, develop a seriousness about getting things done. Don’t slide through your formative years. Test what you are capable of by taking responsibility at an early age. Then, build on that responsibility more rapidly than your peers. The better you can handle hardship, the better your life will be as you grow. 

What do you wish young people would understand today?

You only get out of life what you put into it. You have to take life seriously because responsibility will eventually come, when you have a family, or a job, or both. Taking life seriously is the formula for happiness and success.

What changes are you happy to see in this generation? 

The evolution of technology. It has provided more time to devote to vocational and avocational interests. Vocational meaning your job, and avocational meaning the things that make you happy. If you go back a hundred years, people couldn’t do anything. It took them all day to figure out how they were going to feed themselves.

What lessons or values do you want to pass on to future generation? 

Hard work. When you enter the workforce, make sure it’s something you enjoy. Make sure it's not drudgery, but that it fills you with a sense of accomplishment. People who enter jobs for decades based on money and income are denying themselves the happiness they could achieve. 

Is there anything you want to add? 

My grandpa told his son (my dad), “You gotta realize that you gotta work hard and be successful at work, but as the years pass by, the most important thing in your life is your family. When all is said and done, and you’re 65 or 70, and you look over your shoulder, people aren’t gonna care if you ran US Steel. They’ll ask, ‘How’s your family, are you still together, and do you love them?’”

Who is your favorite grandchild? 

He didn’t answer.