Meet Grandpa Redneck- (the man behind the CEO)
In a previous article I introduced you to a man that taught me a lot of what I know today. Grandpa Redneck instilled value and common sense into me at an early age. Some by way of his words, his actions and some by the way of a strap. The latter seemed to take less time to sink in! George James Grinstead (Poppa) was born on October 29, 1894 and departed this great earth on December 29, 1972. He was married to one wonderful lady for over fifty years, yes my sweet grandmother, Etta Grinstead, or as we fondly called her Memie. Together they raised 8 children, which was amazing in itself. Two of the children were boys and six were girls. The home consisted of three rooms, two bedrooms and a living room. Now you can imagine the line for the wash tub! Did I mention they did not have indoor plumbing, unless you count the hand pump used to get water?
Papa was born in a smoke house, (a structure used to cure meat) in Dixie County, Florida, with pork hams dangling overhead. The family home had been destroyed just a few days before he was born, in a big storm. Today we wash every thing we eat five or six times to get rid of the germs, so it is hard to believe a child could be born in a structure with a dirt floor and was used to cure meat for the family to live on. He had to grow up fast, for his father passed away when he was only nine days old. He was a true redneck. He did plow the fields, walking behind a mule and did not have the opportunity to receive an education through schooling. He did not have higher education but was a very intelligent man. He put eight children through school, provided for them and when he quit farming was the owner of 200 acres of land in north Florida.
In this section I will attempt to demonstrate through stories what an influence he was to me and how intelligent he truly was!
