Fascination Explanation -- Part I

To begin, I must point out that there are several similarities worth noting about Walt Disney and my family.

* Walt’s family came from Ireland during the immigration explosion in the late 1800’s. My grandfather’s family came from Germany during the same time period. What, you've never seen a leprechaun in lederhosen? You get the gist...

* Walt grew up in a small Missouri town (Marceline), as did my grandfather (and myself -- if you consider Springfield a small town). He modeled Main Street, USA after Marceline.

*Walt's father built their first house and was a very fine carpenter. My great grandfather built my grandfather's house and my grandfather was a carpenter. Walt and my grandfather were very good with their hands.

* Walt went to World War I as an ambulance driver. He never saw combat, but did get to chauffeur General Marshall once in France. My grandfather went to World War II and never saw combat. But he did salute General MacArthur once.

* Walt had 2 girls, as did my grandfather. To make it even stranger, both eldest girls married a 'Miller'.

*My grandfather and Walt died of complications from smoking, and both had a pronounced smoker's cough.

For some reason, when I see clips of Walt, I think of my grandfather. Both loved a good joke, loved life, and were irreverent at times. My grandfather died when I was 16 and, although he was in poor health most of the time I knew him, he had an impact on those he knew -- as I learned at his funeral when the funeral home was packed with people I had never met and who hadn't seen my grandfather in years, yet respected him enough to be there. I saw how he was admired. He and Walt grew up in a different time and a different ethic, one of hard work and determination...and unbridled patriotism. I can imagine that Walt and my grandfather would have made great friends. So, in a way, my fascination with Walt is also a tribute to how I remember my grandfather.

to be continued.....