Father's day

My mom and dad leave on a trip to Missouri this week to see one of my sisters girls get married. One of my sisters is going with them but Dad won’t let her drive. I worry about them, he’s almost 80. But he's a stubborn old guy and he'll do what he wants to do.

On Fathers day I have to say this. I have one of the best fathers there is. He never complains, (unless someone tries to keep him from doing what he wants to do, like shoveling snow), he was good to us kids growing up and we always knew he loved us. He didn’t drink or go out with the guys, didn’t smoke and went to church every Sunday. He waits on mom hand and foot and even though mom can be a bit difficult at times he always tries to please her. He helps around the house and helps the neighbors out too. He still plays with the little ones, crawling around on the floor, reading to them and playing games. Kids always loved my dad even though he doesn’t put up with bad behavior.

My dad had the same job all his life from the time he got out of the army. It wasn’t a glamorous job, he was a shipping and receiving manager at a Sears store. I know there were times, especially in later years as Sears fortunes went up and down, that he greatly disliked his job, but he always gave 100% and he stuck it out until retirement age. My mom was a stay at home mom- raising six kids you almost have to be, she never learned to drive. Dad made that paycheck stretch, he was good at fixing things and he never spent money on himself. He does spend a little on things he wants now, although he doesn’t have a lot of “wants.”

We went camping and fishing and on Sunday drives. And we went to church every Sunday and sat in the same pew. My dad built us playhouses and rabbit cages and fixed our bikes. He lived in a house with 6 women and only one son, a son that went to war at age 17. My brother came home safely but then he moved far away- to Australia, leaving dad in the world of women, although he does have 5 fine sons- in- laws. And each of his daughters had one son so he has 5 grandsons,( along with 6 granddaughters.)

I watched my dad cry over his father as we made the difficult decision to put him in a nursing home when his Alzheimer’s became too much for everyone to deal with. He had built his house next to his dads and had lived beside him all his life. Now he stopped every day after work to shave and feed his father where he mercifully only lasted a few months. My dad then took care of his mom, who continued living next door until she was well into her 90’s, active and alert until a stroke caused her to fall and break a hip. He then made the daily trip to visit her in her nursing home, although she didn’t always know him.

One of the things my dad always wanted to do was learn to fly, he never got the chance, and for that I am truly sorry. It makes me conscious of the fact that if there are things you want to do - do them!

I always know I can go to my dad with my problems and he’ll listen and try to help. I can’t imagine life without him, even though I have begun to prepare for it. How sad it is that just as we begin to appreciate how wonderful and wise our parents are, that they leave us. I just hope my dad has 20 more good years, where he’s active and happy.