Posted by 2LT Taylor A. Force USMA 2009 on September 29, 2010:

I remember a phone conversation I had with Granddad my freshman year at West Point about my poor writing skills. He told me that to be a better writer, I needed to read more and it would come naturally. I wish I had taken his advice; then writing this would have been an easier task. Mark Twain said that, "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time". Stuart G. Force Sr. lived as full of a life as anyone I've known. Granddad witnessed all six of his grandchildren graduate from college, as well as the birth of three great-grandchildren. At 85 years old, his biggest concern was still perfecting his golf swing and getting to the gym as much as possible. I was fortunate to be with him and my dad during his 60th West Point Class reunion when I was a sophomore, or yearling, at the Academy. What I'll always remember about the reunion is the tremendous amount of respect his classmates had for him. It was an experience I'll never forget. Granddad met my grandmother, Ann Parker, at the wedding of Jack and Lannie Dunham. Jack had been one of Granddad's roommates at West Point and Lannie was a friend of Nana's from Dennison University. Jack and Lannie retired in Roswell, New Mexico, and became my grandparents pro tempore while I was in High School in Roswell. COL and Mrs. Dunham loved to tell me stories about Peanut and Ecrof. Peanut Parker was Nana's nickname and Ecrof is Force spelt backward. It's impossible to underemphasize the impact Granddad had on his grandchildren. As a kid, my dad told me that Granddad went to one of the best colleges in the country, the United States Military Academy. I also knew that he and my dad had both been Eagle Scouts. I owe many of my goals in life to the example that Granddad set. When my sister moved to New York City after college, she got an email from Granddad telling her about the time Nana lived in Manhattan before they were married and how he would go and visit her there. This meant a lot to Kristen. Granddad had a special way of connecting with each of us and making sure we knew how much he cared about us. Spending the last couple days with family, remembering Granddad, has been a bitter-sweet experience. The sadness of his passing is softened by the memory of his sense of humor. At my graduation, I was sitting with Granddad in the lobby of the Thayer Hotel. He told me that earlier he had seen a beautiful young woman who was very upset and in tears walk through the lobby. He figured she must be upset because she was expecting a proposal and instead got a proposition. A few months ago, when he made the trip to Lubbock, Oklahoma, Las Vegas, and California, he was telling everyone it was his Farewell Tour, but then added that he wanted to do the Vegas part at least one more time. More than anything, we'll miss Granddad's personality, his strength, and his heart. But none of these is truly gone, because as his friends and family, we have inherited it. To quote the last verse of the West Point Alma Mater: And when our work is done, Our course on earth is run, May it be said, 'Well Done; Be Thou At Peace.'

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