Happy July 4th, Granddaddy

Published 1:08 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Hi Grandaddy, it’s me, Jill.

It’s been 26 years without you, but I still think about you every July 4th.

You became a great-grandpa again last week. That would make your 8th great-grandchild. Her name is Scottie Grace Sellers, and she sure is precious. You’re ninth great-grandchild is due in two weeks, so hang on tight!

I bet that seems impossible. When you left us on July 4, 1999, Alex had just celebrated her 1st birthday. She’s now 26 and just got married to the love of her life.

So much has happened since then.

Gran-Gran sold y’all’s house in Americus and moved to Albany to be closer to mom and help her with Alex and me since we were so young. Truth be told, I think she wanted the company.

She has company now, though. Doug moved in and works from home. Mom and I didn’t realize how scared Gran-Gran was to live alone. We tried everything. She lived in a gated community; we installed extra locks on the door, but nothing made her feel safe like you used to. I guess being a police officer gives people that extra comfort.

Anyway, during the economic slump, Doug moved home to help Gran-Gran while he looked for a job, but ended up finding the perfect solution for both of them by running an eBay store out of the shed out back.

I can’t remember if eBay was around back in your day, but it’s an online resale store.

You’d be amazed at the Internet now. I think you would like social media. You’d be able to connect with all your siblings and nieces and nephews, Lord knows, there are quite a few out there.

I don’t know many people today who are one of 10 children, but there is a show about the Duggars, who had 12 children!

I do hope you’d be better at social media than Gran-Gran, or if you were here, maybe she would listen to you and pay attention when you spoke. We’ve tried to teach her Facebook many times, but somehow she’s always making her status “Happy Birthday,” with random photos of items she’s seen at yard sales as her profile picture. She claims she never posted those things that the Internet did. We’ve told her the Internet can’t just “do things,” but I think she’d be more likely to believe you.

Speaking of the Internet and reality TV, I would love to watch “60 Days in” with you. It’s a show about people going undercover in the jail to let the sheriff know what the issues truly are and how inmates are smuggling in drugs and other contraband. As the title explains, they spend 60 days inside.

Being a former jailer, I bet you have all kinds of opinions on what’s happening behind those bars.

Speaking of, Gran-Gran recently told us that one time an inmate stole your car and took it on a joyride. I’m going to need more details one day.

As a journalist who loves to cover crime, I have so many questions about everything you’ve seen and witnessed.

Those questions can wait, though, because the only question I have for you now is “How’s Heaven?” Is it everything they’ve described and more? Have you been reunited with Old Granny? If so, tell her I said, “Hey!” and that I still have our picture from our first meeting. If you run into my other grandma, can you tell her I miss her, too?

I wish I could wrap my arms around both of you today. It’s been hard watching Gran-Gran and Popeye get older without y’all by their side. I know it’s part of life, but no July 4th feels complete without you here. No amount of fireworks and hot dogs takes away the fact that there is still an empty seat at the table. But then I remember the questions I just asked and am reminded you’re no longer in pain and don’t have to see the evils of this world anymore. Not just the evils in the jail, but the evils of society, and I’m left with a sense of peace.

I pray that peace lasts for a long time until we meet again.

I love you, Granddaddy.