The author never reveals the name of Ned's grandfather (Jenny's father). He has a big impact on Ned, even though Ned has no personal recollection of him. The grandfather dies six months after Ned is born. He fought in both world wars, and his wife died when he was in the Pacific. She was a good woman, but they had fallen out of love. Ned's grandfather is a cynical man, and many of his views of life are passed on to Ned through Jenny. Ned's grandfather is the one who developed the four seasons of Mohawk: Fourth of July, Mohawk Fair, Eat the Bird, and Winter.