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TigerNet Immortal [172489]
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Probably more of a "how was your weekend reply", but
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:26 AM
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Many of you have t-mailed me over the last few weeks checking in (which I really appreciate) and I wanted to update that we had my grandfathers funeral this past weekend.
I feel like I’ve been eulogizing the man for 10+ years on here, so I won’t recap, but I’ll just leave it that the man was my hero and the most meaningful person in my life, and I’m grateful we had him until age 98, and that he went out with really only a relatively short time of physical suffering.
More relevantly, I’ll share a couple Clemson-related stories, also probably shared before, but what the heck….
His neighbor and best friend from childhood was a huge Clemson booster back in the 80’s, and I got to tag along on a lot of cool and most likely NCAA-illegal shenanigans. One time we drove over to Clemson in my grandfather’s pimped out conversion van and pulled up in front of Mauldin Hall, where we picked up Fridge and another player or two I can’t remember and went to Red Lobster in Anderson. Fridge had put down about 10 strawberry daiquiris and said “yall ain’t gone need me to drive back are you?” and when they said no, he ended up having about 8 more.
My grandfather called everyone “sports fan”. “Hey sports fan”. “How you doing sports fan?”. A few years ago when my grandfather was in his early 90’s, my neighbor was having a celebration of life at their house for the big booster’s widow. Danny Ford was there and asked the neighbor’s kids, “hey, where’s sports fan?”. He didn’t get out of the house much at that point but he dressed up and walked over and apparently he and Danny had a ball reminiscing for an hour or so.
He’ll be missed but never forgotten. Thanks again for all the prayers and thoughts when he was in the hospital a few weeks ago.
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Heisman Winner [80032]
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Sorry to hear. I'd missed that he was in the hospital.***
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:30 AM
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Clemson Sports Icon [55818]
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I think Im calling you sports fan from now on
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:39 AM
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Pretty awesome that you had him in your life for so long. One of the disappointments in my life is that both of my grandfathers passed before I was around. I had some pretty awesome grandmothers, but wish I had been able to have those men in my life.
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TigerNet Elite [77907]
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I didn't reach out but man alive, what a legacy
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:42 AM
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glad he was in your life and you had those great memories.
Cherish them, and re-tell them often.
Good men.....good people are hard to find.
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TigerNet Champion [115025]
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Sounds like an awesome man who lived a great life. I am sure he will be missed
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:47 AM
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and I'll be thinking about you and your family. That's not easy, but there are a helluva lot of memories in that long life of his to reminisce on.
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TigerNet Champion [115025]
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Oh, and the "cheers" to this post was 100% meant to be in a
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:32 AM
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Bill Brasky type Cheers.
Cheers to Obed's Grandpa, whose stories will grow bigger over time
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TigerNet Immortal [172489]
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I totally got it amigo, appreciate it.***
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:43 AM
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Hall of Famer [8943]
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Sorry to read that
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:52 AM
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Glad you had him in your life. I’ve no doubt you’ll carry him in your thoughts and heart for the rest of your life.
I know I do. I am grandad’s personality twin. The old man taught me most everything I needed in life and I still miss him.
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Orange Immortal [61712]
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Grandfather-of sounds like a truly great one. Thank you for sharing.***
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Feb 17, 2025, 8:57 AM
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Ultimate Tiger [37161]
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Sounds like a great man. We can tell how proud you are of him.
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:01 AM
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Keep your head up.
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Ultimate Tiger [34160]
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My condolences. Sounds like had a great life and...
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:01 AM
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that you got to experience a lot of it with him! That's not something everyone gets to say and I'm sure you'll treasure that.
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Orange Beast [6535]
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Sorry to hear, but you seriously need to change your name to Sports Fan*******
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:08 AM
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Campus Hero [14027]
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Ts and Ps, how's father of Obed?***
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:13 AM
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TigerNet Immortal [172489]
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I'll t-mell you at some point today.
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Feb 17, 2025, 10:15 AM
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This was my mom’s dad, but pops deserves a couple paragraphs at the moment.
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TigerNet Grandmaster [202010]
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Sorry to hear man. You were very blessed to still have a Grandfather
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:31 AM
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at our age.
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TigerNet Eternal Icon [183115]
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Condolences, what a great man to have in your life.
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:38 AM
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Love the stories, thanks for sharing.
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TigerNet Legend [145119]
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I knew you had said he was in the hospital but I missed that he had passed.
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Feb 17, 2025, 9:44 AM
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I am so sorry to hear that news, you've been telling stories about him as long as I've known you and I know what he meant to you. Anything I can do, please let me know.
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TigerNet Immortal [172489]
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No worries man, I didnt post it.
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Feb 17, 2025, 10:05 AM
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We have guys in here with sick kids, wives battling breast cancer, and who knows what else. Against all that it just seemed a little first world-problemish to spend too much time dwelling on a man having a long happy life and making it to 98.
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Ultimate Tiger [38360]
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That was a much more innocent story than I thought it was going to be with
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Feb 17, 2025, 10:08 AM
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conversion van + potentially NCAA-illegal 80s player's shenanigans.
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TigerNet Immortal [172489]
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In fairness, I didnt tag along on EVERY trip.***
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Feb 17, 2025, 10:08 AM
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Dynasty Maker [3383]
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Re: Probably more of a "how was your weekend reply", but
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Feb 17, 2025, 10:39 AM
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Thaks for sharing those memories and I'd loved for him to have yelled at me, "hey sports fan"! Man that'd been amazing.
God Bless him, and your family.
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Orange Elite [5460]
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To have a tribute like that written about you... sounds like he had a life
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Feb 17, 2025, 12:30 PM
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well lived.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
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