Rest In Peace, Leroy H. Rasmussen

My grandfather, Leroy Henry Rasmussen, passed away this weekend. It is a sad time for me and my family, but I am comforted by the support of loved ones, and my fond memories of him. Known simply as "Pa" to his children and grand-children alike, he was born in Laramie, Wyoming, married young, received a Purple Heart for his service in the Navy in World War II, founded a school in Tunisia, and spent a career working for the State Department and its foreign aid missions to countries around the globe, such as Nigeria, Laos, Algeria, and Haiti. You might think that Renee and I are seasoned travelers, but check out the following page of Pa's passport from the height of his career:

Every page is more of the same, and then extra pages have been taped in as addenda. (In fact, my parents met in North Africa, as both sets of my grandparents' were working there when they were in high school.)

My grandfather is why I root for the Denver Broncos, and why I can solve a Rubik's Cube. When our enthusiasm for bridge outlasted that of my sister and parents, we invented a three-player version and roped my grandmother into playing it in the morning before I would go to school. He loved crossword puzzles, Garfield, Jumbles, and the Muppets. And as a result, I do, too.

It was by his example and encouragement that Renee and I took the plunge to live abroad, and Pa helped me meet family half a world away. I am grateful that he got to meet Xavier, and I hope and pray that he knew how much he was respected and loved by his family.