Memories of Dad

As Father’s Day 2020 fast approaches, I thought I’d share some memories of my Dad. I actually wrote this almost 9 years ago on the 32nd anniversary of my Dad’s passing. It is hard to imagine it has now been 40 years that he has been gone! These are the memories I shared as a Facebook Note, with a few graphics added in for this blog post. My Dad is dearly loved and sorely missed! I hope you can see the good in your own dad, and if you are fortunate enough, not just see his good… but show him and tell him how much you love him and why!

The 24th of November

On this date, November 24th, 2011, 32 years ago in 1979, my Dad, lost his battle with cancer a month after his 59th birthday.  He passed away on the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving following a lengthy hospital stay. 

The holidays weren’t so joyous for us in 1979, Dad was in the hospital on Thanksgiving and then we faced our first Christmas without him. But we had… and still have precious memories of him to hold on to… (swipe the photo below for a slideshow of some memories)

I was barely 23 when he passed away.  My Dad wasn’t perfect… none of us are, but I always marvelled (just as young girls should, well… and ‘not-so-young’ girls should) at how MY Dad could do ANYTHING!  If the car needed repair, he did it; if the furnace needed fixed, he did it; if the water heater needed replaced, he did it; if something needed remodeled or rebuilt, he did it; if the roof needed replaced, he did it; no matter what needed done… he did it! 

My Dad was a hard worker, spending hours of an evening or on the weekends working on something after working full time in a foundry.  He could be grouchy or grumpy at times… but he never seemed to tire, and was always ready to lend a helping hand.  He worked hard from a very early age.  He came from a very large family.  He was one of the older children.  His mother died when he was only 17 and his dad wasn’t around much.  He had a hard life growing up, I’m sure that is why my Dad worked so hard to provide a better life for my siblings and me.

I was always amazed at how cleaver and creative my Dad was!  If something didn’t turn out right he would study it, redesign it or do whatever it took to get it right.  He could make something useful and practical out of whatever he had.  I remember once he made two benches that looked like park benches only the seats and backs weren’t made of slats of wood, but he had a solid piece of wood for the bench seats and a solid piece of wood for the bench backs.  The backs of the benches were hinged.  So if you put the benches back to back, unlock the hinges and lay the backs down flat so they touched each other – you then had a picnic table!! 

He could be short tempered!  But I remember he was generally quick to recover from his anger and frustration… and whatever the transgression was it seemed to have vanished quickly from his mind.  That was good… remember I said none of us are perfect-ME included!!  Having been on the receiving end of his short temper, I was thankful that when he ‘got mad’ he seemed to ‘get glad’ again fairly quickly.  Yes, I (we…there are 6 of us) got paddled!!  It wasn’t “child abuse”, it was DISCIPLINE!!

I am thankful that my parents disciplined me!

MY Dad was quick witted, and it seemed he knew SOMEthing about EVERYthing!  He LOVED life; he LOVED to laugh; he LOVED his family!  His face would literally brighten when he laughed and it seemed to me I could always see a twinkle in his eye when he laughed.

My Dad was determined… there was never a “mission impossible” where he was concerned.  If it seemed impossible he generally was able to make it possible.  I remember once when he decided to widen the garage that was attached to the house.  He had some help… often from his brothers or brothers-in-law, somehow they managed to take the garage loose from the house and MOVE it over.  Then they added to the side of the garage roof to be able to re-attach it to the house.  It seemed to me that task took much determination and creativity… and as always He Did It!!

He was a very friendly man… it seemed to me my Dad knew everyone!  I would go places with him frequently and he always ran into someone he knew.  After we left I would ask who that person was.  I was often intrigued when he said it was his cousin or his uncle.  I knew some of Mom’s cousins or aunts, many of whom lived away… yet I didn’t know any of my Dad’s cousins, aunts or uncles and most of them lived in our town!

He was proud of his family and my Dad always provided for his family.  There were six of us children born over an 18 year span.  He rarely missed a day of work.  Oh, we had to share rooms, wear hand-me-downs, and play with hand-me-down toys; but we always had food on our table and a roof over our head.  I remember that we all learned to ride a 2 wheel bike on the same bicycle!  Since we were born girl, boy, girl, boy, girl, boy… the bike sometimes had a bar added for the boys and then removed for the girls.  It got a new paint job, sometimes a new seat, sometimes new tires, and new handlebar grips-maybe even with streamers! The training wheels went on … and he’d teach you how to ride it… and then the training wheels came off – that happened 6 times!!  (Eventually even a few of the grandkids learned to ride on that bike!)

I remember going places with Dad and you would always see SOMETHING you wanted bad enough you just had to ask… “Dad can I buy a _____ (doll, or fill in the blank).  The answer, “Not today” was always the same… but it never kept me from asking anyway.  A very early memory I have was a trip Dad and I took to the George Murray Tire Company on Derby Street in Pekin. As we entered the store we had to pass through a section of new trikes and bikes!  They were impressive, so shiny and new!  So of course… I just had to ask, “Dad can I buy a new tricycle??”  I fully expected to hear the usual response, “Not today” but instead my Dad said, “Sure, pick one out.”!!!  I went home with a shiny new teal blue trike with streamers in the handlebar and a “step” on the back where someone could ride standing up on the back of the trike!  That was a memorable day!

I loved to spend time with my Dad!  He would remodel empty houses and I would go along sometimes.  Very often I was the gofer… going ‘fer’ nails, hammer, or pliers, etc.  I enjoyed watching him work and learned a lot that I have actually used down through the years.  Not too many years ago Wayne and I were redecorating the bathroom and I decided I wanted to put up some wall tile.  I felt that we could do the tiling ourselves – since I had seen my Dad lay tile so often!  Sure enough, we did do the tiling ourselves! Thanks, Dad!

In the brief 23 years that I got to have with my Dad I have so many wonderful memories! I am grateful for the many ways I can still see my Dad around me.

I am number 5 of us 6 children and I’m the youngest girl.  In the brief 23 years that I got to have with my Dad I have so many wonderful memories!  Even though this date brings back some painful memories of the day I lost my Dad… on this Thanksgiving Day, 2011, I am grateful for the many ways I can still see my Dad around me.  Sometimes it is in a characteristic displayed by a brother, sister, or even a nephew or a niece that will flood my mind with memories of my Dad.  I can see his hands in my brother’s hands or my uncle’s hands.  Sometimes I can hear his voice when a brother speaks or laughs.  I can see his talent and creativity in many of our family members… as well as his quick wit!  I often see his eyes looking back at me when I look into a mirror.  And I am most thankful for the precious memories I have of my Dad.  I would hope that EVERY daughter can express their feelings of love and appreciation for THEIR Dad… often, because life is too short!

Dear Heavenly Father, How I thank You for the wonderful heritage You blessed me with! I praise You for Your Divine Wisdom in putting families together! Thank You for the blessing of memories, and for the blessed hope of seeing my Dad again in Heaven one day! I love You, Lord!