Robert O. Pendley & William Marvin Lee

Robert O. Pendley & William Marvin Lee

Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. Pop Pendley was a Signalman 2nd Class on North Atlantic convoy duty in the U.S. Navy. He was injured with shrapnel in his leg when the cargo ship he was on was torpedoed. Pop Lee was a master sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a B-17 engine mechanic, and recalled his air base in eastern Russia being attacked. Both of them have gone on to their great reward, luckily, after a long life, and we miss them dearly. I recall what I said when I had the honor of eulogizing Pop Lee when remembering them. I stated that early in elementary school I was given an assignment to do - a report on who was my hero. Being young and naive I really didn't understand what it meant to be or have a hero. If I could redo that report I would have written about my grandfathers, their spouses and siblings. They were truly a part of the "greatest generation" that supported the rebirth of our great nation, prospering while not losing sight of their values, and sharing their love for God and country with us. I hope that my grandfathers know that they were not only my Pops, they are my standard of what a person should be ... they are my heroes.