A Road Trip for Grandpa
by Garrett Safsten
by Garrett Safsten
My grandfather was Curtis Oscar Safsten, and he served in the army during the Korean
War. During much of his service time, he was secretary to a colonel for three years. While serving with the colonel, he was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia; New Orleans, Louisiana as well as many other places where the colonel was assigned. After his military career he became a high school teacher and taught school the rest of his career in California. He had seven children with his wife Marlene, three boys and four girls. My grandfather passed away on November 17, 2016 at the age of 84. This was two weeks before his 85th birthday. Marlene Safsten, my grandmother, said one of the craziest requests he ever made was to be be buried almost 800 miles from where they lived in Springville, Utah. They had moved to Utah after he retired. Grandma wanted him to be buried in Utah so she could visit him often, but he loved California for its beautiful weather, the ocean, the flowers, trees, the beach and the sunshine. He wanted to be buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California with his oldest son who had passed away as a baby. His son was named Christopher Jacob Safsten. As a veteran of the Korean war, my grandfather had the privilege to be buried in a national military cemetery.
I remember the funeral service which was a celebration of his life. My grandfather was laid in a wooden casket that had beautiful intricate designs carved into it. My grandfather loved woodworking and making things with his hands. The casket resembled his love for carpentry. During the funeral service, I remember that every child shared their favorite memory of him. Grandpa was a very talented artist and painted beautiful landscapes. He was also a talented landscaper and created beautiful gardens around his home. He definitely had a green thumb. Of the many comments from those who attending his funeral, his kindness toward others was mentioned often. Grandpa loved to tell jokes and had a great sense of humor. He loved spending time with his family. Grandpa loved peanut m&m's so we handed all the visitors a pack of peanut m&ms in his memory, and I am sure Grandpa was smiling from heaven. These memories made the service very special. During the luncheon following the funeral service I met many people who my dad knew from high school, college and other experiences who came to pay their respects to Grandpa. I had only seen many of them in pictures. After the funeral all six of his children with their own families, following the van that carried my grandfather, drove down to attend my grandfather's burial. We all packed our bags and were ready for a big family road trip. Little did I know this trip was leading to a place that would become very special to my family and me.
My grandparents lived in Springville, Utah. Springville is in the Utah valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. As we left that valley we could see the mountains behind us, and you really do not get a feel for how big and tall mountains are until you drive hundreds of miles away from them, and they still look huge. Most of the trip through Nevada was barren with towns and cities here and there. We crossed the California state border, and we turned and twisted through a mountain range. The outside temperature was 80 degrees, but once we got up high enough in the mountains it started snowing. It had been for sometime before we arrived there, so we decided to stop and have a quick snowball fight and then keep driving on.
We arrived near the Golden Gate National Cemetery a day and a half later. I remember the hotel we stayed at. My cousins and I thought it would be a fun idea to push each other on the luggage cart around the hotel. Turns out that they are more tipsy than we thought, and we almost crashed. That was a lesson learned.
The next day we arrived at what would become a very meaningful place to me. We drove into the cemetery and immediately I was so glad my grandfather was being buried in what looked like a royal garden as seen in movies. There were tall gates surrounding the entire cemetery, and right in front of you as you enter there is a little hill and at the top of the hill there was a beautiful marble base that held an American flag. This honored all the veterans buried there who died to keep our country free. We drove around the little hill, parked, and had a short funeral service again with Grandpa’s California neighbors and friends in attendance in the marbel military chapel. A serviceman played Taps on their bugals while other servicemen folded the flag from my grandfather’s casket and then handed it to my grandmother. We walked to his burial site, and I marveled at how clean and kept the cemetery appeared. All the graves were lined up perfectly in straight rows that looked as though they went on for miles. Not a single one was out of line. Every tombstone was made of beautiful white marble and looked like it was polished and shined everyday. The grass was so luscious and clean as though it was watered and cut everyday. My grandfather was buried in peaceful part of the cemetery where you could not hear a noise. Grandpa and Christopher Jacob were now to be buried in the same burial with the marker having both of their names. Someday Grandma will join them. It was very peaceful and I was so happy knowing that where my grandfather was buried was a good place that really showed respect for all of the accomplishments in his life. This place really helped me realize how much my grandfather actually did that I had not known about.
After the burial we packed up and started another road trip home. We arrived in Springville a day and a half later. After a long trip home, we visited and told stories of the great experiences we had had with our grandfather. The Golden Gate Cemetery will always be very meaningful to me, and I will never forget the unforgettable experience of accompanying my grandfather to his final resting place.
War. During much of his service time, he was secretary to a colonel for three years. While serving with the colonel, he was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia; New Orleans, Louisiana as well as many other places where the colonel was assigned. After his military career he became a high school teacher and taught school the rest of his career in California. He had seven children with his wife Marlene, three boys and four girls. My grandfather passed away on November 17, 2016 at the age of 84. This was two weeks before his 85th birthday. Marlene Safsten, my grandmother, said one of the craziest requests he ever made was to be be buried almost 800 miles from where they lived in Springville, Utah. They had moved to Utah after he retired. Grandma wanted him to be buried in Utah so she could visit him often, but he loved California for its beautiful weather, the ocean, the flowers, trees, the beach and the sunshine. He wanted to be buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California with his oldest son who had passed away as a baby. His son was named Christopher Jacob Safsten. As a veteran of the Korean war, my grandfather had the privilege to be buried in a national military cemetery.
I remember the funeral service which was a celebration of his life. My grandfather was laid in a wooden casket that had beautiful intricate designs carved into it. My grandfather loved woodworking and making things with his hands. The casket resembled his love for carpentry. During the funeral service, I remember that every child shared their favorite memory of him. Grandpa was a very talented artist and painted beautiful landscapes. He was also a talented landscaper and created beautiful gardens around his home. He definitely had a green thumb. Of the many comments from those who attending his funeral, his kindness toward others was mentioned often. Grandpa loved to tell jokes and had a great sense of humor. He loved spending time with his family. Grandpa loved peanut m&m's so we handed all the visitors a pack of peanut m&ms in his memory, and I am sure Grandpa was smiling from heaven. These memories made the service very special. During the luncheon following the funeral service I met many people who my dad knew from high school, college and other experiences who came to pay their respects to Grandpa. I had only seen many of them in pictures. After the funeral all six of his children with their own families, following the van that carried my grandfather, drove down to attend my grandfather's burial. We all packed our bags and were ready for a big family road trip. Little did I know this trip was leading to a place that would become very special to my family and me.
My grandparents lived in Springville, Utah. Springville is in the Utah valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. As we left that valley we could see the mountains behind us, and you really do not get a feel for how big and tall mountains are until you drive hundreds of miles away from them, and they still look huge. Most of the trip through Nevada was barren with towns and cities here and there. We crossed the California state border, and we turned and twisted through a mountain range. The outside temperature was 80 degrees, but once we got up high enough in the mountains it started snowing. It had been for sometime before we arrived there, so we decided to stop and have a quick snowball fight and then keep driving on.
We arrived near the Golden Gate National Cemetery a day and a half later. I remember the hotel we stayed at. My cousins and I thought it would be a fun idea to push each other on the luggage cart around the hotel. Turns out that they are more tipsy than we thought, and we almost crashed. That was a lesson learned.
The next day we arrived at what would become a very meaningful place to me. We drove into the cemetery and immediately I was so glad my grandfather was being buried in what looked like a royal garden as seen in movies. There were tall gates surrounding the entire cemetery, and right in front of you as you enter there is a little hill and at the top of the hill there was a beautiful marble base that held an American flag. This honored all the veterans buried there who died to keep our country free. We drove around the little hill, parked, and had a short funeral service again with Grandpa’s California neighbors and friends in attendance in the marbel military chapel. A serviceman played Taps on their bugals while other servicemen folded the flag from my grandfather’s casket and then handed it to my grandmother. We walked to his burial site, and I marveled at how clean and kept the cemetery appeared. All the graves were lined up perfectly in straight rows that looked as though they went on for miles. Not a single one was out of line. Every tombstone was made of beautiful white marble and looked like it was polished and shined everyday. The grass was so luscious and clean as though it was watered and cut everyday. My grandfather was buried in peaceful part of the cemetery where you could not hear a noise. Grandpa and Christopher Jacob were now to be buried in the same burial with the marker having both of their names. Someday Grandma will join them. It was very peaceful and I was so happy knowing that where my grandfather was buried was a good place that really showed respect for all of the accomplishments in his life. This place really helped me realize how much my grandfather actually did that I had not known about.
After the burial we packed up and started another road trip home. We arrived in Springville a day and a half later. After a long trip home, we visited and told stories of the great experiences we had had with our grandfather. The Golden Gate Cemetery will always be very meaningful to me, and I will never forget the unforgettable experience of accompanying my grandfather to his final resting place.
Garrett Safsten is a junior at Linganore High School. He is a member of the National English Honor Society and National Honor Society and is currently taking college prepatory classes. He also golfs, swims, and plays lacrosse for Linganore and is an Eagle Scout.
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