The Greatest Generation

Diana Naramore • June 19, 2021

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Framed painting of a blue airplane flying over a burning train track in a green landscape
Blue and yellow commemorative cap with gold embroidery and navy aircraft graphic on a vintage map background
Three smiling people posing indoors, with a partial face at the left edge.

WW2 has always been a fascination to my husband and me. My father in-law served on the American side and my mother in-law on the British. Not to mention many other influential people in our lives who often flew under the radar, as everyday heroes often do. WW2 seemed so massive, so colossal of an event and almost unimaginable.

Recently, I learned from a childhood friend that his grandfather, Major Ralph Jenkins, was a part of that amazing generation and lived out the end of his days here in the Pacific Northwest. His grandson, Walter, and I grew up together in Chicago and created fond childhood memories as kids do at summer camps. While Walter may not have shared this part of his life with me back then, it was especially touching to learn that his grandfather was not only his hero as a WW2 fighter pilot but was the father he never had.

The images you see here ones Walter took glimpses of as a young boy everyday going up and down the stairs in his grandfather's home. They are pieces of history along with the stories his grandfather shared and now will be proudly featured in Walter's home back east. Preserving his grandfather's legacy and giving him the chance to share it with his two daugters and loved ones gives us an opportunity to look back with gratitude and honor, to one of the many heroes of the Greatest Generations of our time.

Earning your trust means the world to me and all of us at Sip and Ship. We look forward to learning what matters to you and providing you with the same level of care you can always count on at Sip and Ship.

Framed black-and-white jet concept sketch in a brown frame on a wooden shelf.
Person in a black apron holding a cardboard package, with “SIP SHIP SHOP” text visible.
Two women holding a small white dog in front of a storefront window with an “OPEN” sign.

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