It has been documented that grandparents perform an important role in family structure. Although many grandparent studies have been conducted, few have addressed the roles of rural residents and those of grandfathers. The majority of grandparent research has focused on grandmothers residing in urban areas, has been problem-focused, and has not adhered to scientific methodologies. In an attempt to address this conspicuous disparity in the research, the qualitative study explores the roles of rural grandfathers. The phenomenological approach utilizes open-end, semi-structured interview questions allowing rural grandfathers to express their collective voice to discover the essence of their lived experience as grandfathers. This methodological approach is suited to researching topics that have not been previously researched and little is known or understood about the lived experience of grandfatherhood. While the majority of grandparents are age sixty and younger, grandparents of all ages face the challenges of role transitions with competing responsibilities and conflicting roles. The most common among them are delayed retirement, longer lifespans, blended families, and divorce. These transitions affect family structure, yet social researchers and policymakers require accurate facts that may impact local and federal policy decisions such as family leave, caregiving, visitation rights, healthcare reform, Medicare, home meal programs, and Social Security. In order to gain a clearer picture of grandparenting, a balanced representation of their roles and needs are essential to avoid flawed decisions made with biased generalizations. Although grandparent topics are prevalent in the media and popular press, scientific investigation is limited. Despite three exhaustive research visits at the Library of Congress, it is profoundly evident to this researcher that rural studies and grandfather studies are missing from scholarly inquiry. Addressing this dual gap will not only add to the existing body of knowledge, but common themes may emerge that will aid social researchers in understanding their roles.