Kyle Avery
The Living Legacy
Hands deep in the earth,
Tomatoes ripe on the vine,
Laughter fills the yard.
Red Clay & Sweet Fruit
Figs sweet on the branch,
Generous heart, open hands,
Home in red clay soil.
Maddy Messick
It was truly impossible to leave Grandmother and Grandaddy’s house without your stomach hurting from laughing so hard. His laugh was so contagious and so loud that it was impossible not to join in. One of my favorite memories of Grandaddy was when we were all sitting in the living room, and, as usual, Grandaddy wanted to cause a little ruckus. He started chasing us around and tickling us, and Victoria was literally trying to climb the walls to get away from him. I don’t think I have ever seen him laugh so hard in all my life.
Grandaddy was also one of the most giving people I have ever known. He always wanted you to leave his house with something from his garden-even if it had been sitting there since the 1950s! He loved spending time with all of his grandkids, and even if no other adult wanted to, Grandaddy would always take us to the beach to hunt for crabs. Of course, it wasn’t a true crab hunt without him throwing one at you or convincing you that there was one right behind you.
I am also proud to say that I completed one of Grandaddy’s Sudoku puzzles. It may have taken me a good 8 hours, and the page may have been covered in eraser marks and pencil scribbles, but I finished it! Grandaddy was so proud of me, and he never failed to ask if I wanted to work on another one. I was always very headstrong about being “one and done,” though!
One thing I will never forget is how Grandaddy would always-rain or shine-stand out in the yard and wave goodbye to us as we left. It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much, and it is a memory I will always carry with me.
Grandaddy will always be remembered as one of the most hardworking, loving, loud, and faithful men to ever walk this earth. He brought so much laughter and joy into our lives, and I already know he is up in Heaven cracking jokes, making everyone laugh, and probably causing a little ruckus of his own.
Elyssa Messick
There are so many memories that come to mind when I think of my granddaddy. I think back to all of our many trips to the beach house during the summer. When I was younger, the beach house felt like a magical place. We spent that time going to the beach and watching fireworks on the 4th of July. My cousins and I even put on dance shows for our family. Looking back, I can recognize that those were some of the best memories that I had growing up.
There were a few times that I was in Bay Minette on my own and got to surprise my grandparents with a short visit. The last time I went over there was on June 26th. I was in town singing for an event at their church. I got to sit and watch baseball with them while talking about what we were all up to. He always wanted to know how I was doing and how I was spending my time. That is how I will always remember my granddaddy. As a caring and kind man who loved the people around them. I am so grateful for the many memories I made with him and will hold onto those as I continue to grow.
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Natalie Messick
When I think of some of my favorite memories with Granddaddy, so many come to mind. I know whenever we went to the beach house, lots were made. From crab hunting, watching the Fourth of July fireworks, and to him digging us a big hole in the sand to play in, every moment with Granddaddy was special because he made it special. Whenever we would go crab hunting I remember that he would trick Mary and me. He would make us think that there was a crab close to us. He would grab the fish net and gently hit the back of our legs with it. Mary and I would scream to the top of our lungs while Granddaddy just stood there laughing! A few years later, I used that same trick many times on Mary! There were many times when he and I would play Sudoku together. Well, he would complete the whole puzzle while I filled in 2 numbers! He taught me how to play Sudoku and it is one of my favorite games to play to this day. The best part of leaving their house was sharing a hug with him. His hugs were always so tight that I couldn’t breathe! He would always whisper the sweetest things in my ear before we left.
I will never forget him standing outside in the rain or surrounded by mosquitoes just so he could wave us goodbye. I will always cherish the many memories I have with him. I am so grateful to have called him my granddaddy!
Victoria Messick
There are so many fun things that I remember about my granddaddy. Some of my earliest memories are of Granddaddy blowing up a swimming pool under the beach house at Gulf Shores. He also hung up an Eno (he found it abandoned on the beach) right above the blowup swimming pool. Me and Mary and Natalie would take turns flipping out of the Eno into the blowup swimming pool. We laughed so hard and had so much fun doing that!
Every time we had a little vacation at the beach, granddaddy would treat all of us to dinner one night at Wolf Bay Lodge. I would always get a meal from the kids menu and they would always put my food on a frisbee that I could take home with me.
I remember so many birthday dinners at David’s Catfish for different family members. Granddaddy was always so generous and wanted to pay for everyone’s meal. We would always go back to Grandmother and Granddaddy‘s house for dessert. Grandmother would always prepare the most delicious desserts for everyone, however, Granddaddy knew that I would always want Bluebell ice cream with chocolate syrup on it, and he would always throw in a little dash of milk to make it soupy.
One of my favorite meals was when Granddaddy would grill steak and Grandmother would cook fast fries. Sometimes I would go outside and watch Granddaddy grill the steaks.
I don’t have a memory of when I was born, but my mom has shown me pictures of family members that came to see me in the hospital. Everyone was worried about me because I was born with Down syndrome and heart defects. I’ve seen the picture of everyone gathered around my mom‘s hospital bed while she held me. Grandmother and Granddaddy were in that picture, and they were smiling as they looked at me. I know it meant a lot for my mom and dad to have them there.
I will miss Granddaddy very much, but I am so glad to know that he is in Heaven. I will see him again one day.
Mary Messick
To know my grandaddy was to love him. He had the biggest heart and never missed an opportunity to make the people around him feel loved. Whether it was a warm bear hug, a kiss on the cheek, or one of his famous jokes, he had a way of making every moment special. His laugh was one you could recognize anywhere, and if you saw a Troy hat, you knew he was nearby. He loved making us laugh, whether he was chasing us around the beach house every Fourth of July with his bright lime green pool noodle, scaring us while we were crab hunting, or telling jokes that would leave us laughing for days. One I'll never forget was, "Mary, you've got some kind of hair...the kind that's on a dog's behind!" He was always teasing us, playing little tricks, and filling our childhood with so much joy. I will always cherish the stories he shared about his childhood, the days we spent picking potatoes in the garden, feeding the birds and chickens, and the countless times he took me out to the climbing tree just so I could climb as high as I wanted.
More than anything, I will always remember his hugs. He gave the kind of bear hugs that made you feel safe, loved, and like everything was going to be okay. He would always try to "beard me" by rubbing his scratchy chin against my face and neck just to hear me laugh. As much as I complained back then, I would give anything to have one more of those hugs today. I am so thankful God blessed me with a grandaddy like him. He helped shape me into the young woman I am today through his love, kindness, wisdom, and unwavering support. I will miss hearing his laugh, listening to his stories, and seeing his smile, but I know the memories he gave me will stay with me forever. Thank you for loving us so well Grandaddy. I will carry your love with me every day, and I will cherish your memory for the rest of my life. Until we meet again. ❤️
