![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lenpenzo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MEMORIAM.png\")
First, I want to thank Len for graciously publishing this.<\/p>\nFirst, I want to thank Len for graciously publishing this.<\/p>\n
My first knowledge of \u201cTennessee Andy D.\u201d came from his comment following the first episode of Grandfather Says, in 2019:<\/p>\n
\u201cWife and I are one of the ‘millionaire-next-door’ type folks … and a whole lot of it is because we built our first, and later second (and current for 30 years) homes ourselves … drove every nail, pulled every wire, laid every brick, etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe left our parents home in our late teens with an old second hand car and a few bucks in our pockets, and retired with a 7-figure net worth, all done without any family financial help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the years Andy expanded on his remarkable self-reliance.<\/p>\n
So, in 2020 after he had not posted for a while, I wrote him:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere you been? Our point of view is pretty scarce at Len Penzo dot Com<\/em>\u00a0and elsewhere on the web.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cAndy, I think our national crisis presents an opportunity to persuade a few young people to become more self – reliant and Len Penzo dot Com<\/em> is one place to tell your story.\u201d<\/p>\n He answered:<\/p>\n \u201cBack today.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cAs Mark Twain once said ‘Sir, the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated … ahahhaaaaaaa!\u201d<\/p>\n Then, after his further absence from Len\u2019s blog for more than a year, I wrote him again:<\/p>\n \u201cWhere you been? Our point of view is pretty scarce at Len Penzo dot Com<\/em>\u00a0and elsewhere on the web.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI’m still plugging away, but not much evidence of influencing anyone. Don’t blame you for giving up.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for me, you have my great respect. You have ‘made it’ far more independently than I have. I won’t forget you.<\/p>\n \u201cBest regards,<\/p>\n \u201cDave (Deplorable White Toxic Male)\u201d<\/p>\n The awful reply:<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Andy’s wife, Martha.<\/p>\n \u201cAndy passed away March 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n Martha has now graced us with her memories of Andy. The rest of this article are her recollections:<\/p>\n I miss Andy terribly. He was so intelligent and down to earth. He talked to me for years about how things were going to change in the future, dealing with the economy, shortages … everything. I wish he could be here with me but I really wish he could see the way things are happening today. So many things he predicted are now taking place. A man before his time for sure.<\/p>\n This was an enjoyable but difficult task. I could write books about Andy. Unless you knew him or had an opportunity to get a glimpse of him through his writings, it probably would sound like bragging. Andy was an amazing and wonderful person. One of his sayings – \u2019life is not fair\u2019 – proved to be true when he was taken away at the age of 70.<\/p>\n Andy was the love of my life; he was my best friend.<\/p>\n Having been an Eagle Scout in his teenage years may have formed his ideas of “be prepared.\u201d Some described him as a man before his time due to his ability to look ahead and see the changes the world is facing.<\/p>\n Andy kept a copy of the US Constitution nearby and was known to cite the constitution in his attempt to educate others, both on-line and in real-life.<\/p>\n He was a teacher. He taught high school for a few years, but his real teaching was in day-to-day activities, setting an example of a hard worker and one who loved accepting a challenge of something needing done.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most everyone that met Andy would learn something and be amazed at his practical, hands-on-knowledge and his ability to communicate that knowledge. Many a person has told me how much Andy taught them and how they still think of things they wish they could ask him to show them how to do. Many have told me they wish they could talk to Andy so he could explain things to them.<\/p>\n His knowledge was amazing and varied. He loved to read, on many topics.<\/p>\n Brilliant is how one person recently described Andy. I always described him as the most intelligent person I had ever met. He never found a task or challenge that he wasn\u2019t willing to take on. I told him once that he could be a brain surgeon and he told me he thought he could too but he had never found a willing patient for him to try his work. And then he looked at me with a questioning look as he laughed his wonderful laugh.<\/p>\n Early in the Covid lockdowns, he said to me, what if this is just a way to take attention from the economic situation? His mind was constantly processing thoughts and looking ahead. Two is one and one is none became a joke around our home.<\/p>\n When asked what he believed it meant to be a Christian, he once replied that he believed we should be kind to our fellow man and animals, as well as taking care of the world around us. He would always reach out to offer to help friends and neighbors and expect nothing in return.<\/p>\n Andy believed in working hard but stressed working smart. He would look at every task in terms of how to do it more efficiently.<\/p>\n He was the love of my life and best friend for over 50 years. He loved life on the homestead we created. He strived to be self-sufficient and to leave our place a better place. He laughed often and it would include twinkling eyes that would translate to being a happy and contented soul.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" First, I want to thank Len for graciously publishing this. My first knowledge of \u201cTennessee Andy D.\u201d came from his comment following the first episode of Grandfather Says, in 2019: \u201cWife and I are one of the ‘millionaire-next-door’ type folks … and a whole lot of it is because we built our first, and later […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":81279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","pmpro_default_level":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[472],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-81278","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-commentary","8":"pmpro-has-access","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n