I don't like starting a post on a sad note, but my
sweet Grandpa, the one who turned 95 the end of January, passed away on April
8. His memorial service was a couple weeks ago, and I wanted to share some of his remarkable life with you.
He lived a full life and traveled the world. Born in California to Scottish
parents, he lived in Chile, South Africa and Puerto Rico growing up (along with a few other places). His
family settled in Scotland when he was in high school. He returned
to the states to finish school, which was extended a year because Grandpa hadn't taken Civics and Government. Apparently, this didn't sit well with him as you can imagine! After finally finishing high school, he went to Virginia Tech and graduated in 1940. It wasn't called Virginia Tech at the time,
however. In 1896, the Virginia General Assembly changed the school's name
from the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College to the Virginia
Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. What a mouthful! Popular usage shortened the name
to Virginia Polytechnic Institute, then to VPI until 1970, and finally to Virginia Tech.
