I’ve found myself missing him more lately but not quite knowing how to cope with that. I haven’t closed out of this tab since it was opened and seeing his name in the top corner of my screen reminded me that I could still write here. One of the things I miss about him is going to Stonekeepers in Murfreesboro. He would marvel over the giant amethyst clusters and all the beautiful rocks. He absolutely looked out of place in a shop targeted for metaphysical enjoyers, but he loved it. He started buying incenses which would absolutely drive Nana crazy with the smoke smell. I just enjoyed spending time with him and going on adventures wherever we could. I couldn’t have really known the events that  would follow my gap year prior to college, but I’m thankful every single day that I got to spend that entire year hanging out with my Grandparents, if I had a choice, I would do it all again.

Me, Popa, and Nana went to the Cowan train museum on September 1, 2023. Despite the ride that felt like it might go on forever, the moment he got out of the car, Popa’s eyes lit up and he became so excited to see all of the model trains and all of the train history.

      Me and Nana were more there for him since we didn’t really like trains as much as he did, but we hung behind and let him show us around the museum. I thought it was really cool seeing him so enthusiastic about the history of all of it. In this picture, we were looking at the conductor uniforms. 

      The other night, I realized that you could see both of us in the glass door and it honestly got to me because of how happy we both looked. Our trip to Cowan ended eventfully, but that’s only for a select group of people to know about..plus some dog and a bird :)

I remembered this story the other day from when I was a kid, staying the night at Nana and Popa’s house. 

When it was time for nana to go get ready for bed, Popa would come into the bedroom to say goodnight to me and help put me to sleep. He’d sing Old McDonald to me and we’d fill in the animal sounds together. 

My personal favorite thing he’d do, though, to help me sleep was when he pretend his hand  was an alien from outer space and the “alien” was examining my face for research. It would start with my forehead, then my eyebrows, then my nose, lightly tapping its way over to my eyelids, moving down to my cheeks and lips, finally progressing to my chin. Occasionally, the alien would also need to discover my ears or the top of my head too. It  made me so sleepy. 

Even when he wasn’t saying goodnight to me, in the more recent years he started saying, “Have good puppy dreams,” to his and Nana’s dog, Meeka, which I always found really endearing. 

Goodnight Popa, I love you so much. As you always said to me, “To the moon and back”

Popa always had an inside joke or story he’d tell me. One of his most infamous ones started back when I was little. He always started this tale with, “Back when I was a cowboy-” which led off into him describing an old western scene of which included him sitting around a campfire with his cowboy friends and eating beans. 

     Nana might roll her eyes sometimes and turn to me in a little bit of a hushed voice and say, “You know he never really was a cowboy, right?”

      And I’d feign outrage at this false notion, “Nuh-uh of course he was!!”  

     We all knew he was never a cowboy in the Wild West who went on crazy adventures, but it was fun to play along  with his stories. In the early hours of the morning, like it is for me now, I still think about when Popa was a cowboy who knew how to  lasso and could quick draw in a duel.

I have so many wonderful memories of my Uncle Rodger.  He always loved me and was always someone that I knew would support me in whatever I did.  Regardless of whether or not we had talked in a while, we always picked up right where we left off - like a baseball glove that fits perfectly or riding a bike.  It's hard to imagine a world without my Dad AND Uncle Rodger - two of the all time best.   Thank you for loving me and for being a light in my life and my family's life.

I love you all.

The Patio he built and enjoyed watching birds

Rodger, LeAnne and Brian .
Oh, What our Daddy would do for us.

1970 September 20th
My Grandaddy Popa StJohn, Me and My Daddy

My condolences for the family and friends that lost a loved one. During this time reliance on God and prayer are necessary for He “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort”. (2 Cor. 1:3)

I’ll miss you so much Daddy but knowing I will see you again gives me comfort, save me a spot♥️🙏🏼♥️

We played monopoly together for such a long and memorable time. One of our games got to a point where we had to buy more money to continue playing, and even then we still needed to write IOUs on post-it notes. The day he finally beat me I never heard the end of it. He rightfully took my crown as the monopoly champion. He was always so excited to spend time with me and nana. 
     He loved us so incredibly much and it always showed. From wanting to wrap me up in bubble wrap ever since I was a kid, to pestering nana with a million questions in the early morning that only she could answer. He loved and appreciated all of us.

OBITUARIO

Rodger Neil Crain

15 enero, 1944 – 2 agosto, 2025

Mount Olivet Funeral Home & Cemetery

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