Robert Leo Chadwick - we know him as Grampie

I thought long and hard about writing up a post on Grampie. He was a very respected and loved man by so many. I had asked Jason to write this post since he grew up loving and respecting him and I felt he would certainly be able to capture the essence of Gramps more than I could, but it has been hard to find words to write down and so I find myself writing.

I can tell you about my first time meeting Gramps, he welcomed me with open arms, literally. He than proceed to tell me about his time as a US Marine, I was in awe. I can still see him standing in his kitchen and saying, "Out of 916 men that landed on IWO Jima, only 94 came home and I was one of them. I don't know why I was one of them!" He had tears in his eyes as he openly retold this memory that I am almost positive he had told many times before. I was instantly taken with him as I think many where. I had so much respect for him in that moment and it had only been my first meeting with him.

And so that was all our visits. No matter how many times we had been back to Vermont to visit it was a must to stop and see Gramps. Not because we felt we had to but because we truly couldn't wait to visit.

There was one constant when you would stop to visit, ok maybe 2, first was you would walk into his home and see books upon books about the Marine Corps. The 2nd was he would most certainly light up his pipe and have a smoke. It was at this moment that you were about to get some great insight and knowledge on the Marines or even just the history of Vermont.

I know the next time we visit Vermont it is not going to be the same. Gathering with the family at his home in that amazing yard for BBQs, talks about Vermont and the Marines, history lessons, all will be so missed! I pray for comfort and peace for our family who also have a huge void in their lives and I pray we can share with our kids who you really where.

SEMPER FI MARINE!




The picture above and below are with Jason's grandmother and the love of his life ~ Yolande



Grampie with the famous pipe




Jason was able to meet Grampie in DC for the opening of the Marine Museum.


Family picture with all of us - including Deb, Jason's mom, and his sister Sarah and her husband Jeff and son Colin. Missing is their 2nd son Conor, but she was pregnant with him, and I was not far behind with being pregnant with Zoe.


Our last visit to Vermont - Zoe was 9 months and so thankful we were able to get a picture of all of us.


This is the brick that Jason had done for Grampie. You can find it in DC and it says it all. He was a Marine through and through.