Yesterday afternoon at approx. 12:00 p.m. my granddaddy was laid to rest in the cemetary of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Barnesville MD. This is the first grandparent I have lost in my 24 years of life. I feel very fortunate to of known him as long as I did. Below is his Obituary as printed in the Frederick News-Post on Saturdaym January 14th 2006. Mr. Donald E. Jeffers, 81, of Boyds, died at home on Friday, January 13th, 2006. He was the husband of Doris H. Jeffers. Born on July 15, 1924 in T.B.Maryland, he was the son of the late Mark and Julia Jeffers. Donald enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1944, serving in France and Germany during WWII. He told stories of driving down mountains in France in a supply truck without brakes and taking orders from General Patton in Germany. After completing his tour of duty, Donald entered the Federal Civil Service, working at Bethesda Naval Hospital as an electrician. He retired 30 years later as the Director of Public Works at the National Navy Medical Center. In that capacity, he was on-call whenever a U.S. President was hospitalized at NNMC. In 1949, he married Doris Elizabeth Hawse and set about to build the family home in Boyds. Donald performed the majority of the work himself, from bricklaying to wiring and plastering. He spent his remaining years there, raising three children. As a boy, Donald grew up on a farm. He continued that tradition starting with a small vegetable garden at home and eventually maintaining his parents-in-law's farm. Don and Doris spent many happy years square dancing and were founding members of the 2X4 Square Dance Club. He was an assistant coach for the Monocacy Wildcats, an Upper Montgomery County Sports Association baseball team. Don enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing with his family. After retirement he discovered his skill at the game of golf and playwed weekly with his friends. He was an active member of the 43rd MR&R Squadron and the Issac Walton League, a board member of the Boyds Credit Union and an Officer of the American Legion, Daniel Jeffers Post 247. He was devoted to his daughter, Karen, who preceded him in death in 1978. He will be especially remembered by his friends and neighbors, the Nejati family, Hassan, Karen, Yousuf, Zainab, Mariam and Ali, who thought of Mr. Jeffers as a grandfather. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughters, Brenda Thew and husband Lee of Jefferson; a son, Tom Jeffers of Middletown; four grandsons, Alex and Zachary Thew and Jeremy and Christopher Jeffers; brothers, Paul Jeffers of Frederick, Mark Jeffers of Monrovia; two sisters, Helen Lewis of Leland, NC and Jean Voytko of Moneta, VA and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen and two brothers, Benton and Richard Jeffers. The obit goes on to tell the dates and times of the viewing and funeral. My granddaddy died of pneumonia and also had Parkinson's Disease. The obit states that in lieu of flowers, donations could be made in Donald's name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY, 10163-3772. I loved my grandaddy very much and have many fond memories of fishing with him at a friend's lake, catching sunfish and bluegill, as well as golfing with him on a course and out back on his "driving hill" where we would practice our drives. We would often play pool on the table he has down in his basement. He helped me find a grip on the pool cue that worked for me, and even set up shots for practice. I owe my skills in pool to my grandaddy. He even helped my get a good grade on a history paper I had in high school. I had to interview someone from the Depression/WWII era. My teacher stopped dead in his tracks when I mentioned that my granddaddy had taken orders from General Patton. At the viewing, they had placed a golf ball in his hand and a golf tee in his suit's chest pocket. It was a very nice touch considering his immense love for golf. If he wasn't playing it, he was watching it. His casket even had a figure swinging a golf club etched into it. As much as I miss him, I now know he is at peace with his brothers and my Aunt Karen. I will never forget the things he taught me, and the wisdom imparted by him. Rest In Peace Grandaddy