I remember Papa telling me the story of why dog's sniff each others butts. Legend had it that many many years ago, all the dog from around the world went to a big party. In those days, instead of hanging up coats, they would hang up their hind ends. At the height of the party, there was an enormous fire and all he dog's had to flee with whichever butt they could grab quickly. Today when a dog sniffs another dog's butt, it's simply to try and find their own.


I remember I had this old 81 Chevy blazer. I was up visiting and fishing in Maupin. The blazer wasn't running well. At the time I wasn't sure what the exact problem was and I wasn't making enough money to get it fixed. Papa was outside and asked if I was having engine trouble. He told me to pop the hood and turn it over. Just by listening to the engine. He said it is your carburetor. He got up into the engine compartment and made some adjustments to the carburetor. And took me to buy a need fuel filter. He installed it. And I never had any issues with with it again. I just remember being so amazed that he could just hear it run for a few seconds and knew what the issue was. I was extremely grateful. I know he got real joy and satisfaction from helping other. I hope to carry the forward in my life.


eating ice cream or sherbet while Watching papa's favorite TV programs, M.A.S.H and Star Trex. He always loved his Ice cream. Also, Papa clearing trails in the woods with his tractor. So the kids could build the beloved forts. Ryan, there are so many fond memories of the summers we spent Grandma and papa. One that sticks out would have to be When papa gave all of us grandkids tractor rides. We would sit on what l believe to be an orange mower/turned off of course) that attached the back of the Tractor. Papa would say "hold on tight and we'd grip on to the orange handles clinging for dear life As we rode around with papa on new forest trails he had freshly bulldozed for us. We spent whole days roaming these trails around acres of property making forts and perfume from flowers (you can tell I had lots of girl playmate's?). We would all use Grandma's Rakes and tools to beat away and hollow out trails to the center of blackberry bushes to build our elaborate forts. ( and Grandma we're sorry for leaving you rakes in our fort)


My first memory of dad was when I met the whole family at mom's 70th birthday party. After dinner dad said to me "are you sure you want to be part  Of all this?" I said sure, you seem like a pretty nice family! Dad always treated me like one Of the family, and was never afraid to say "I love you"! 

Dad always loved his ice cream. In the summer time, mom would mix up a batch of ice cream custard for the ice cream maker. This was in the when ice cream makers where all hand crank. Dad would say" if you want ice cream you have to help turn the crank. He'd let us crank the ice cream maker early in the process before the ice cream started to firm up, then dad would take over. The entire process was long, so dad came up with an idea to speed thing up...He hooked up his power drill and away it went. Fresh homemade ice cream in half the time! He was pretty proud of himself.


We traveled to Great Falls Montana. I got to experience the Charlie Russel art museum, studio and home. He was a working cowboy who did his art on the side. Amazing!


My earliest memories of dad are simple.
Rubbing the side of my cheek with his hard working rough hand. Him coming in the back door from a hard day's work and always stopping in the kitchen to give my mom a gentle hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek. He made the best hot cocoa. The hours spent playing cribbage to help me with math I remember him teaching me to fly fish. It didn't come as natural to me as it to did him. He wanted to "show me how it was". He said "watch this...there a big one that lays under those tree branches and he'll let you catch him" My response was so you think the fish looks up and says oh it's Bob, he'll put me back? Dad iust smiled as he laid three casts under the tree and dang if he didn't catch a fish. He looked
at me with a big smile and said "see I told you". The best thing about memories is making them. Here are just a few from kids and grandkids.

Whenever there was a family function, my great grandpa always used to mess with me when I was little
and tell me "I turned your nose upside down and all the rain gonna fall in" This month I got to visit one last time at his home and he was talking about one of the nurses from his most recent hospital visit and about something she did while he was there, and I finally got to complete the circle and ask " did she turn you nose upside down and let the rain fall in? He seemed surprised that I remembered, as if he hadn't been saying that to me at least once a year since I could comprehend what he was saying. He had a beautiful, silly, light soul. I'm going to miss him dearly.
These are just a few of the memories we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. As he got older he would remain with us that a man never regrets the time spent with his family and friends.
Money and things mean nothing. The best heirlooms left behind are fond memories of a life well lived. The best thing about memories is making them so let's go and make memories with the ones we love. Memories are a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want
to lose.


I remember him shining his boots in the morning. I also remember he
used to take a lo0onnnng time in the bathroom. 87 the snoring, I
thought that no one can snore like papa! That was before I got married.


When we would stay with them, Steph and I would crawl Into bed with them in the morning. We would push his tattoos and he would crow like a rooster. Later, he would chase us around with shaving crème on his face, and we would all run and scatter. Everytime I smell old spice after shave I think of him.


A very fond memory I have is when I was learning to fly fish in Maupin. Papa would always tell me to finish off the fly with some "sma-ha". He used that word for a lot of things, like mayo or mustard on sandwiches or whipped cream on pie. But I remember him always telling me to put some sma-ha on it once I was done. I loved those fly fishing trips in the evenings in Maupin when dad, Papa, Rick, Craig and I and sometimes Ryan and Dan Would go down to the river & fly fish. I hardly remember catching anything, but just the times we spent down there & observing nature and climbing down those rocky banks was always so fun.


OBITUARY

Robert "Bob" Benjamin Piatt

January 19, 1930 – July 2, 2022

Lincoln Memorial Park & Funeral Home

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