My grandfather the Combat Pilot

My grandfather: Edgar deZuna

My family lost a great man yesterday when my grandfather, Edgar deZuna - better known to us grandkids as Papi, passed away. Papi was my mom's father and he lived a pretty remarkable life. He was born in Budapest, Hungary into a family whose history he and his brother would later trace back to the year 1,000 AD - all with their roots in Europe, but with the deepest roots in Hungary. Papi served in the Royal Hungarian Air Force as a reconnaissance pilot during World War II and he married my grandmother, Denise - aka Nana, only shortly before they had to flee the country for Austria and a displaced person's camp. They later made their way to the UK and finally to Canada where they made their home in Montreal and later Ottawa.

Papi chronicled his life - at least in part - in a book he wrote on a typewriter for my family called "Combat Pilot." It's been a long time since I've read it, but vivid stories of crashing into a field of sunflowers during a combat mission, losing their first child - a boy - in Austria because of the lack of food as they fled their home country and later moving north of the Arctic Circle to Goose Bay Canada where my mom and dad would meet stand out in my mind. I can't wait to read his story again.

We lived far from our grandparents (both sides) growing up so we weren't as close to them as some kids might be, but I have really wonderful memories of Papi convincing me as a little girl that I had a bumble bee living in my belly button, making "mixed drinks" out of raspberry syrup and soda water for me and my sister, and Papi's "Bun In The Oven" nightshirt that I think he secretly knew was a maternity shirt - but heck, it fit his belly pretty well so it was a good time to pull the "English is my second language" card and settle for comfort!

Papi and my cousin Sandy

Papi gave me a reason to be really proud of my Hungarian heritage and it was an amazing blessing to be able to visit the building he grew up in when I lived in Hungary as a college student. My music teacher invited us to his apartment in Budapest and, although I can't remember how the pieces came together, there was a sudden clarity that my grandfather had run the halls of the beautiful old building as a kid and I was overwhelmed by the connection.

Papi had an amazing life and I'm only sorry we weren't closer and that he never got to meet Baby F. But - I am convinced that Baby F sees angels (he's always smiling and pointing at things I just can't see!), so I'm certain they will know one another in a way that will be special to them. I will miss you, Papi. I loved you very much, and look forward to being reunited with you again someday.