In Memory by Jonathan Deatherage

June 3, 2010

“The LORD is great and certainly worthy of praise!
No one can fathom his greatness!
One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and tell about your mighty acts!
I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds!”(Psalm 145:3-5)

Today my grandfather died. He was 93 years old, and still full of life. His health had been slowly declining, and when he went unconscious last Friday, we all knew it was only a short time until he would pass.

It was not a surprise, but it is nonetheless difficult to see him go. For me, it is the passing of a giant.


Robert Keyes Buttleman wasn’t perfect, but to me he was a hero. He was, without a doubt, a man in a class of his own. (And for all who know anything about his days in school, we know that this saying fits him well.)


Bob’s optimism was unyielding. During his lifetime, he had gone through bankruptcy, faced cancer, and in his later years had cared for his wife as her body and mind deteriorated. (After she passed, he would often tell the story of how he held her in his arms in that final moment. He said he saw glory in her face, and he kissed her goodbye.) Through all these things, Bob prayed earnestly, trusted in God, and expected good things. This came through loud and clear with his propensity to burst into song at any given moment, drawing on a hymn of faith that somehow, someway loosely connected with the conversation he was having.

More than that, his sense of humor could not be quelled. Always ready with a pun, Bob laughed often (and often at his own jokes). Too many times, I have found myself rolling out a pallid pun, only to realize much too late the impact his sense of humor has had on me.

Bob served his country with pride. A World War II veteran in the Navy, he never failed to enshrine for us stories from his youth aboard this-or-that ship in this-or-that country. His tales from the Navy grew to be the backdrop for his “glory days.” Every time he would come over to our house, he’d fill our ears with stories about the Navy — stories that began to repeat themselves often as the years grew on. It almost became a tradition in our house to start off any truly memorable story with the line, “Why, I remember it being a cold night, and I was out on the ship’s deck in my boxers…”

Most importantly to me, Grandpa Bob modeled faithful trust in Christ. Unto his final days, he was quick to seek God in prayer, and quick to praise him in song. I remember that even as a child, I knew that he and Grandma Alice prayed for me and the rest of our family constantly. That became a source of comfort for me when I would face difficult times throughout my youth — I always knew they were praying for me.

One of my favorite memories of Grandpa Bob happened when I was about 22. Visiting my parents on summer break from college, we went to see Bob and Alice. As we were leaving, I went to hug him goodbye, and he held onto me and prayed a blessing over me. For that moment, I felt like we were in a scene from the Bible, when the Hebrew patriarchs would bless their tribe. I don’t even remember what he said, to be honest, but the sheer fact that he offered spiritual blessing to me left an indelible mark. From then on, I realized I was dealing with a giant.

For this, I saw him as a hero. He stayed faithful to trust in God until the end. Sure, he had his issues, but in my estimation, they all fade in light of Bob’s steadfast confidence in the Lord. Bob even faced death with peace and confidence, knowing that his home beyond was secure. He was steadfast on this reality: Jesus Christ died on the cross — the righteous for the unrighteous — to save us from our sins and bring us to God. The third day, Christ rose again. He lives to this day, drawing to himself all who would believe, that they might know eternal life now and in the age to come. Bob relied on Christ’s saving work, and he entered eternity with his eyes fixed on Jesus.

And so, I pause to remember his life tonight. I say a prayer of thanks for the memories I have with him. I shed tears of sorrow and of joy, knowing that even though I will miss him dearly, he is finally home with his Savior. Most importantly, I look to hope with eyes of faith that one day, when God restores all things, I will see my grandfather again. On that day when we stand resurrected with Jesus, I will see Bob and Alice, rejoicing in our glorious Savior.

Tonight I long for that day all the more.