Both places above, located in Fairforest, SC, bring a smile to my face as they remind me of “PaPa”, my dad’s father.

For years, the building now known as “Leo’s TV” served as the country store. I was very young when PaPa managed the store, so I don’t have many memories here—but I do remember him taking a break just outside the door (check out the original and very cool double front doors above) with a cold bottle of Coke in hand. He loved his Coke and Snicker bars.

Later, he would become the Postmaster in the post-card size building above. He was always a hard worker, and even after retiring, he found ways to stay busy in his wood shop behind their house.

But my favorite memory of PaPa has nothing to do with a building. Although he had a wonderful dry sense of humor and a dedicated heart to Christ, he wasn’t known so much for playing with the kids or acting goofy with the grand kids–which is why this memory still floats about in the corridors of my memory.

At ten-years old, I was busy planning a wedding for Barbie and Ken while vacationing at Garden City, SC. (What Barbie doesn’t want to get married at the beach?) My Uncle Randy stood in as the pastor while dad, MaMa, aunts, and uncles lined up to form an aisle for my Barbie bride-to-be.

And the father of the bride? It was PaPa. Yes, he actually walked my Barbie down the aisle.

Priceless.