There seem to be lots of pictures of Grandpa Southwick hugging and kissing his grandkids, and this is because he really loved them and expressed his love for them often. He liked holding them in his arms and squeezing them, nuzzling his cheek next to theirs, and giving them a kiss on the cheek. You could tell that he derived genuine joy from being with his grandkids. He didn't just give them a precursory hug, but he'd hold them as long as he could to let them know what they meant to him.
I remember in the days leading up to before Grandpa died in 1986, he was bed-ridden and the image I have of him during that time is lying on his back and not moving very much. I'm sure he wasn't very comfortable and had little energy. I remember they'd let different grandkids come in to talk to him, one by one. I was in my 20s, and so some of us grandkids had grown up by then. I think my dad was in there too, and some of us talked a little bit. Grandpa didn't move much or say much, as I recall. He was unshaven, his eyes looked mostly closed, and he was relatively quiet. Then I leaned over to give him a hug, and I wanted to be very careful so as not to cause him any more discomfort, so as I was leaning over gingerly, I kind of hesitated, not knowing what to do. And as I hesitated, Grandpa lifted his neck up and gave me a kiss right on the cheek before I even knew what happened. I'll always remember that. I didn't even know if he could move or not. Considering the fragile state he was in, it was surprising to see the effort he made to show me he loved me. That was classic Grandpa, and I'll always love him with fond memories of growing up as one of his grandkids.
—Rusty
