My sweet Grandfather, the Music Man

Maurice "Tim" Tyler
1921 - 2010

My grandfather died March 9, 2010. He was the strength and heart of our family. There is more to say about him than I could possibly put here and one day I will try. I still am not quite ready to get back on the computer too much. My mother had these lyrics printed and displayed at the service, they say it all. He taught us the love of music, how to dance and how important family is.

Dan Fogelberg Leader Of The Band

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs thru' my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band

~~~

My brothers found another song that describes his life perfectly. My grandmother listened to this song over and over. I stayed the night with her after the funeral and she wanted to listen to it again, so we sat and listened to music together for a while. It is a night I will always cherish.

Jamey Johnson "In Color"
I said, Grandpa what’s this picture here
It’s all black and white and ain’t real clear
Is that you there, he said, yeah I was eleven
Times were tough back in thirty-five
That’s me and Uncle Joe just tryin’ to survive
A cotton farm in the Great Depression

And if it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should have seen it in color

This one here was taken overseas
In the middle of hell in nineteen forty-three
In the winter time you can almost see my breath
That was my tail gunner ole’ Johnny McGee
He was a high school teacher from New Orleans
And he had my back right through the day we left

And if it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should have seen it in color

A picture’s worth a thousand words
But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should have seen it in color

This one is my favorite one
This is me and grandma in the summer sun
All dressed up the day we said our vows
You can’t tell it here but it was hot that June
That rose was red and her eyes were blue
And just look at that smile I was so proud

That’s the story of my life
Right there in black and white

And if it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should have seen it in color

A picture’s worth a thousand words
But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should have seen it in color