My Thoughts at Winslow & Amanda's Wedding

Winslow and Amanda’s Wedding
 
 
            Good evening! I am Hank— one of Winslow’s two grandfathers here tonight. I am known to Win as ‘Buppy,’ and his other grandfather is known as ‘Grumps.’
What a joy it was for Win’s grands, Pat, Nancy, John and me, to watch Winslow marry Amanda today. 
            
Since we've heard from Amanda's dad about her growing up, I thought it appropriate for me to say a few words about our grandson.
Winslow and his sister, Sayde, lived most of their growing up years in South Bristol, Maine— across the street from Pat and my house there. We saw these bright kids have fun playing together, and we spent lots of time with both of them. They attended the small South Bristol school where Winslow, Liam, and Markus were classmates and great friends. It is fitting that Sayde, Liam, and Markus are all in the wedding party today.
I remember when Sayde Mohr was on stage in one of Pat and my theatre productions. My assignment was to be Winslow's babysitter with instructions to attempt to get him to go to sleep by a certain hour. I taught Winslow most of the Bowdoin College drinking songs those evenings. He told me today he still remembers most of the words.
 
            When he was about 10 years old, Winslow appeared on our stage in a wonderful production of the play, “Yellow Dog Crossing.” He was the star of the show, learning not only his own lines, but the lines of everyone else in the cast. I’ll never forget Winslow on stage up in a tree with his stage grandfather talking and casually feeding his grandfather some of his lines as he spoke his own with intensity and feeling.
 
            Soon after his performance on our stage, Winslow was cast in the New York City production of “Brothers Karamazov.” Pat and I offered to care for this budding actor for the three-week run at the MAMA Theater off-Broadway. It was during the days he spent with us in our hotel that chilly January, that we saw Win’s budding interest in computer games. Hour after hour, Winslow entertained himself with his computer game. Pat taught Win how to knit in NYC; he then taught all his fellow actors.
 
            Winslow learned much from his theatre experiences and exhibited his great ability to present himself in the business world and in all social endeavors. You saw this today at their wedding.
 
            Win has combined the ability to play well and work hard. He impressed us with his working with Toyota Racing Development while studying and distinguishing himself with computers at Clemson University. We are delighted he chose this field of study as his career.
We have gotten to know Amanda and see how they interact and love each other. 
            On behalf of all four grandparents, we salute this couple and wish them much happiness together in their life’s journey.