My Eulogy to Pawpaw - Roy C. Moxley

R- Remember

I will never forget the first time I met Mr. Moxley.  He was standing at the entrance of the old Jemison Gymnasium waiting on his sons Tony and Lane after football practice.  It is hard to imagine that was fifty years ago.  I noticed that something was wrong with his right hand.  I knew that he worked at ABEX in Calera and thought he might have injured his hand.  I am remembering asking Tony, “What happened to your dad’s hand?”  Tony said that he burned it when he was a little boy.

Years later Mr. Moxley, or Pawpaw as most called him, would tell folks when they asked about his hand that he wore it out on his son-in-law’s head.  That being me.  That’s what I liked about being around Pawpaw.  We could make one another laugh. And we could get into some great conversation about anything, especially football.  He was an avid Auburn fan.  When Auburn beat Alabama I would tell him “War Eagle.”  The first time I said it he smiled.  I said it meant “wait to next year.”  Then he frowned.

He loved to watch Tony, Lane, and me play football.  I remember our coaches asking his advice about our team and how he thought we would play.  Pawpaw was quick to give his opinion.  It was always fun to share football memories with him. 

Years ago, I had a football game that Pawpaw and I would play.  It was a small player that used small disc or records.  On one side was an offensive play that one player put in the player and handed to his opponent.  There were several defensives on the reverse side.  When pawpaw was on defense he like to blitz me on third down.  Knowing he would blitz I would run the quarterback option and score a touchdown every time.  I still can see us hold our ears to the small record player and laughing.

O- Only Pawpaw

One time we went fishing on Bee Branch.  We boarded a plywood boat and used wooden oars to make our way to his favorite fishing holes.  He said, “There are four crappies under that log.  You cast first.”  I casted two yellow jigs across the submerged log and reeled it back to me.  I caught nothing.  Pawpaw said, “You didn’t hold your mouth right.”  He cast two yellow jigs just like I did.  When he came across the log he caught two nice crappies.  He gave me another chance.  Again, I caught nothing.  Again, he caught two.

I remember one Christmas Eve that the menu of choice was grilled steaks and baked potatoes.  It rained all day.  Pawpaw had the hickory wood ready.  With a large umbrella, Pawpaw and I cooked steaks.  They were especially good that year.  I remember his saying that Granny would complain about her steak not be done enough.  He told her on an occasion or two that if she did not get the biggest one, she could get one well done.

For years on the Fourth of July Pawpaw would grill chicken halves.  He was always eager to take the halves off before they were done.  I can hear him whistling when he was a little disturbed and not getting his way when Tony told him that the chicken needed to cook longer.  He continued to boss the chicken grilling until he passed it down to Tony and Lane.  Pawpaw could not wait for the annual Moxley Homecoming every Fourth.  Horseshoes and croquet were the most popular games.  Croquet would become “sonk” seeing how far we could send the leader into the woods.  Horseshoe tossing would become very competitive.  Each man had his own style.  Pawpaw is now pitching heavenly horseshoes with his brother-in-law Bill and brother Carl.  I can hear all of them bragging and cutting up while pitching horseshoes.

I already miss trips to the garden.  Pawpaw had a green thumb and was proud of his garden.  He would brag about all the produce he carried to the widows at Providence.  Tony and I made fun of him for microwaving tomato seeds.  He fooled us.  They made plants.  He loved raising “better boys” and “beef steak” tomatoes.  All of them were big.  Big cores that is.

Pawpaw spent his life as a machinist.  The family worried about him going to his shed after his health failed and lost his coordination.  I went down one day and watched him on his lathe.  He was using the nub and his left hand operating two different controls as he created a handle for a miner’s axe for somebody at church.  I have the video of him running the lathe that day.  I told his daughter Sharon that Pawpaw was in his element when in front of a lathe.

He never let his disability keep him from providing for his family.  He once told me that a man can do anything once he understands it.  I used that advice since that time.  He once asked why I went to school so much.  I said, “Pawpaw, the more I go to school, the dumber I get.”  I know that he was proud of me.  One of the greatest things he did for me in his sickness and declining health was travel to Linden Alabama to attend my retirement party.  I will cherish that moment and keep a picture with him and keep that memory.

Y -yeah, he did it

Pawpaw had a way with sayings.  They were funny and sometimes did not make sense.  Once he explained them, they still made no sense, but they were pure Pawpaw at his best.

One of his favorite sayings when eating something delicious was “lambing good.”  If you watched him eat, it would make you hungry.  He enjoyed eating.

I remember building Granny a mirrored shelf to hang in the den.  I did not have a hanger on the back.  I told Pawpaw we could drill a small hole in the back.  We got the drill and a bit.  I told Pawpaw we needed to be careful.  Granny warned him and she was serious by calling him Sonny.  Well, Pawpaw the machinist drilled the hole in the back and all the way through the front.  It was a tense, but hilarious moment.  The pretty mirrored sconce had a decorative nail protruding from it.

Having lost part of his nose to cancer doctors used part of his ear to reconstruct it.  He would tell us that he could smell and hear with his nose.

Not too many days ago he left his walking cane on the back porch.  He told me he did it on purpose where his daughter Kay would fuss at him.  He loved life and loved his family, God, and people.

It has been wonderful to have Pawpaw these many years.  In fact, I have been with him longer than my own dad.  Thanks, Pawpaw for the memories, the wisdom, and love you gave me.

Bobby E. Hopper, May 24, 2018

 Roy C. Moxley was my father-in-law, a second dad to me.  When he died, his family asked me to do the eulogy.  I felt it an honor to write a few words.  To have said all that I would have been volumes.  I decided to on a few things that I remember as I say farewell.  Due to a family member that had hard feelings toward me, I thought it best not to attend and gave this eulogy to the pastor.  I cried because Mr. Moxley had been an important part of my life.  It has been five years since I wrote it and I feel compelled to share it with you.  I know that it hurt the family, but I did not want to dishonor a man and his family causing trouble.  It was a real threat if I attended that I would be asked to leave and bodily removed if I did not.  

Mr. Moxley's granddaughter did a slideshow presentation for the funeral.  She was told by the one that did not want me there not post any pictures of me.  I love the granddaughter, my niece that posted one anyway.  It was the one where Papaw and I were in the rain, under an umbrella, and in the smoke grilling Christmas steaks.  The picture is priceless and so true of our relationship.  Thanks Brandi!

I believe that those that banned me will be sorry for their deeds.  I have forgiven them.