Fred Hock

A hero is someone with strong morals and beliefs. They are someone who you look up to and trust. Heroes put other people before themselves. My hero has all of these qualities, plus many others. No, my hero isn't a movie star, singer, artist, president, or any other famous person. To me, Fred Hock, my grandpa is more than a well-known idol; he is my hero.

As you all know, every hero needs to start somewhere. My grandpa was born on October 21, 1929, in Strawberry Pt., Iowa. As a child, he enjoyed spending time with his three siblings: Vera, Bud, and Evelyn. Fred always looked forward to attending church picnics, where he watched his father, John, catch at baseball games. On the other hand, he wasn't too fond of school. Even heroes can't do everything on their own. Everyone needs helpers. My grandpa had many helpers in his childhood. His siblings were his most dominant helpers, for his mother had died when he was still very young. Fred's oldest sister, Vera, and his brother, Bud, were a big help and very important in his life. My grandpa's father was also one of his many helpers. Although leaving home can be very difficult, the time comes when eveyrone is ready to be out on his/her own. Fred left home in 1950, when he was drafted into the Korean War. Following the war, he became a butter maker at Maquoketa Valley Creamery in Strawberry Pt. Here he soon met the love of his life, Fern Loomis, whom he later married in 1952.

We've all had our ups and downs in life. Just like everyone else, heroes have trials, but they problem solve and make a difference. Once obstacle my grandpa faced was growing up in the Great Depression. This experience led him to be the frugal person he was all his life. Fighting in the Korean War changed my grandpa's outlook on life significantly and helped him develop his identity. Another obstacle my grandpa faced was his mother dying when he was only thirteen years old. He coped with losing his mother at such a young age by developing a close relationship with his siblings. There is a point in everyone's life where they discover who they really are. Sometimes this identity is established early, while other times it isn't formed until much later in life. My grandpa established his identity after he returned from the Korean War. Facing the responsibility of getting married and starting a family helped him understand his identity. My grandpa was a family man who realized he wasn't cut out for higher education, but had responsibilities to raise and support his family. Nobody gets anywhere in life without making goals. My grandpa made many long-term and short-term goals. One of his goals was to do the best he could to provide for his family. Another was to make sure his family received the highest forms of education available. Bringing up his children as Christians and in a good Christian environment was also very important to Fred. Working toward and achieving goals is another major part of life. My grandpa worked a lot of overtime and weekends to provide the best available for his family. Fred put all of his kids through high school and two out of three through college. My grandpa brought up his children as Christians by taking them to church, putting them through Sunday School and Confirmation, and setting a nice example of a Christian himself. My grandpa even held family devotion and prayer sessions. My grandpa's goal for the future was to take care of my grandma, Fern. Unfortunately, his dreams were cut short whne he died last fall of a stroke.

Many heroes are known only for one great achievement. Others are well known for a life full of heroic deeds. My grandpa didn't save anyone's life, creat a cure for a disease, or become well known for leading a life full of commendable actions. He did, however, raise a close-nit, strong Christian family. In doing so, he set great examples for working hard and achieving goals. Even heroes have their own heroes. My grandpa's hero was his holder brother, Bud. Fred highly respected Bud's determination to put himself through college. My grandpa was also very proud of Bud for donating his life to the Lord by becoming a minister. The Character Counts Pillars are major characteristics of heroes. My grandpa has demonstrated several of these pillars throughout his life. Fred showed responsibility by providing the best available for his family. As he fought in the Korean War, he showed citizenship for his country. My grandpa also demonstrated caring by sacrificing and putting others before him.

When my class began talking about writing a hero paper, my grandpa immediately came to mind. He has set great examples for me and helped me develop my core values. He taught me to put family, friends, and religion as my frist priorities. Fred also helped me realize that what's inside matters most, and that as long as you've done your best, you've done a nice job. My grandpa means a lot to me, for he has been there for me from the day I was born, until the day he passed away. Although he is gone, he is still in my heart and means a great deal to me. I remember a story my great-aunt, Vera, told me of my grandpa. Now my grandpa was one of those people who really enjoy eating. When he was about 20, one of his favorite breakfasts was toast and eggs. Vera made him one of each. Once he was done, he requested another. She kept them coming, and this continued until she had made him eleven eggs and eleven pieces of toast, leaving one egg left of the dozen. As he finished she asked, "Shall I make the last one?" He replied, "No thanks, I don't want to make a pig of myself." Writing this has helped me learn a little more about my grandpa. I learned more about his childhood and goals in life. I also learned more about Fred's beliefs and priorities. Learning more about my grandpa's life helped me to realize why he's the person he was. My grandpa is an excellent role model. He could teach you how to be responsible and caring towards others. My grandpa could also teach you how to set and accomplish priorities and goals. My grandpa's determination and strong moral values have helped me to label him as my hero.