RIP Grandpa Sabin

Yesterday at 3:40 PM MST my last living grandparent graduated from mortality.  Aunt Annette informed us that Grandpa Sabin passed peacefully from this life to the spirit world while they were holding his hands.  He was too weak to speak yesterday but his last words were "Sylvia" as if he were calling out to her as she came to get him.  I'm sure they had a sweet reunion as they had been apart for the last nearly 13 years.  They were sealed in the house of the Lord for time and all eternity on August 10, 1944.  I have no doubt that she helped him make the transition to the spirit world.

Grandpa was a good man and a wonderful example to all of his progeny. I am honored to be the first to call him grandpa.  I have many fond memories of Grandpa Sabin.  The first to come to mind of course is fishing.  Early morning fishing.  We arose at what seemed to me as a kid to be the middle of the night.  So that we could make it to the lake by dawn.  I remember being somewhat scared of the old fiberglass boat with patches all over it.  It was translucent so that you could see the water through it.  My favorite part of fishing was going fast in the boat out to where we were going to fish (which wasn't really that fast).  And I'll never forget my first lesson in anatomy and dissection of Grandpa teaching us how to gut and clean the fish.  Perhaps that's where my love of biology started.

Grandpa comes from good pioneer stock.  There are many stories of his ancestors joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in England and crossing "the pond" to come to America.  There are many stories of encounters with Indians and early church leaders.

I'm glad I was able to grow up living in the same city as grandpa.  He blessed me when I was a baby, he baptized me when I was eight years old, he was at my high school graduation, mission farewell and homecoming, and graduation from college.

Grandpa was always happy.  He loved life.  He was always supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and always way above a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 when asked how he was doing.  He was always telling jokes.  He was also a good athlete.  He loved to swim, play tennis, and go skiing.  All of which he did well into his twilight years.  Grandpa never wanted to leave mortality.  Even up until a couple of weeks ago -- even though his body was giving out-- he still proclaimed that he wanted to live to 150 years old. He came close.  He was 97.

RIP Grandpa Sabin.

Marvin Elmer Sabin 

October 22, 1919 -- February 10, 2017

 
Marvin Elmer Sabin:

Henry Elmer Sabin family

Left to right: Marie, Lillie, Marvin, Evelyn, H. Elmer, Leora 

Elmer and Lillie being my great grandparents.  Marie, Evelyn, and Leora being my great aunts.  And of course Marvin being my maternal grandfather.

Darleen (my mom), Sylvia (my maternal grandmother), Marvin with his parents Lillie and Elmer

Grandpa with his sisters -- I think this was around 1994 at the Homestead resort in Midway,Utah

Left to right: Evelyn, Marie, Marvin, Leora

This is how I remember grandpa.  :-)

Marvin and Sylvia: 

Married for time and all eternity 

Logan Utah Temple

August 10, 1944

Marvin and Sylvia Sabin family: 

Grandpa Sabin with Mom 1947?

Grandpa with Mom again

Grandpa Sabin with Mom on a horse in Salem, Utah around 1947

Marvin E. Sabin family

back row: Marvin and Sylvia front row: Gary, Darleen, Don, Ron

I'm guessing this photo was Christmas 1957 or 1958?

Back row: Ron, Darleen, Don; front row: Marvin, Sylvia, Gary

Somewhere around 1964?

Don, Darleen, Sylvia, Marvin

Gary, Ron

Back row: Darleen, Sylvia, Marvin, Gary; front row: Don, Ron

Ron

Gary, Don

Marvin, Darleen, Sylvia 

Sylvia and Marvin with grandchildren:

Tammy, Juliet, Lisa, Michael, Kimberly, Shari Ann, Steven

Christmas 1977?  

Mike, Darleen, Don, Ron, Annette, Valerie, Gary

Sylvia, Marvin

  1977?

Gary, Don, Sylvia, Darleen holding Tammy, Marvin

1971 

Gary, Don, Sylvia holding Tammy, Marvin, Mike

Me with Grandpa Sabin:

Grandpas Sabin carrying me in a bucket 1971 

Grandpa Sabin, Tammy on the raft, Uncle Ron

Clearlake, California 1972 

Tammy with Grandpa Sabin after my baptism and confirmation January 1979

Me with Grandpa Sabin

picture taken at a daddy daughter date

  

Grandpa, Me, Grandma

My Missionary Farewell - January 12, 1992 

Grandpa and Grandma Sabin with me at my graduation from Utah State University 1996

Recent photos of Grandpa:

Grandpas 90th birthday celebration 

Grandpa with his progeny on his 90th birthday -- October 22, 2009

Grandpa's 90th birthday celebration

Valerie, Gary, Annette, Ron, Darleen, Mike

Marvin Elmer Sabin

Grandpa Sabin with gun and cowboy hat

90th birthday celebration 2009

Grandpa with his four kids

uncle Ron, uncle Gary, uncle Don, Grandpa, Mom

2012 

Grandpa riding in Model T with Dad

2012 

Grandpa waving to all of his fans 

Mom with her dad

2012 

Grandpa with his four kids:

uncle Gary, uncle Ron

Uncle Don, Mom, Grandpa

2012 

Gary and Val, Mike, Annette and Ron

Don, Darleen, Grandpa Marvin

2012

I love this photo -- 90-year-old Grandpa Sabin with my Photoshop handiwork:

RIP Grandpa Sabin!

I love you!

Marvin Elmer Sabin

October 22, 1919 -- February 10, 2017