Head Chopper

Once upon a time Greg decided it would be fun to play a little game with his children. He called it "head chopper" and as the name suggests the game was designed to send heads rolling. At the top of the stairs there was a ceiling fan in their home. He would put each child on his shoulders, one at a time, and proceed to jump up toward the fan while it was on high speed.  

Then Richard, Diana, and Jenny would squeal as if their life depended on it, while they ducked and closed their eyes wondering what would happen next. Would they fall down the stairs or lose their head to the "head chopper?" By contemporary standards, this might seem a bit too adventurous. But for those who played the game, it was kind of like having an amusement park in the home.

On occasion, Greg's humor was dark. He'd often tell the family to hold hands while crossing the street, so that they would be "one big bloody pancake." It was his own adaptation of the family that prays together, stays together. Although cautious by nature, Greg never discouraged his children from having a good time, whether they were going to New Orleans for a senior trip or hosting a Jell-O wresting party at his home.

In reference to Greg, Nancy would often quote her Grandma (Guggy-Bugs) who said, "Still waters run deep. Watch out for the quiet ones."