Father's Day, 2007

I had a wonderful father, I wish my children could have known him. He was always a leader, a teacher and yet such a gentle man, so full of love for everyone. 

As a child I remember him taking us on picnics, fishing, to Silvergate, Yellowstone. He was never a selfish man though he loved hunting, fishing, golfing and could have just gone off with the guys. Most everything he did involved some or all of the family. 

He was a very hard worker and was looked up to in the community as an honest, wise, and fair person. He was head of the Chamber of Commerce, head of the Elks, leader of the Church, on the School Board. He always lived exactly who he was as far as I know. 

My friends all loved him, too. He would take us girls to as many out-of-town football and basketball games as time and money would allow. He was always in the audience strongly cheering "our" high school heroes. He was generous with his time and what little he had. 

One of the first things he taught me as I began to seek jobs in junior high was to "always be worth more than what you are paid". He loved my Mom and it showed--as I have mentioned elsewhere, one of my fondest memories of him is his dancing Mom around the kitchen and then giving her a big kiss before he went to work after our noon meal. 

In high school we found some of his love letters to Mom and we read them out loud and he just grinned. He was quite the romantic. He occasionally raised his voice, but not often and he never took a hand to anyone though he raised six children, six children who pretty much stayed in line all the time. 

My aunt once cautioned us--"Be careful what you ask for, your Dad will want to give it to you." He was a good listener but didn't try to preach at you, just let you know he was there for you. He somehow saw that we all had money to go to college but here again I remember his advice to always have a job. And I did, most of the time even while I was in college. 

He was a good, good man. And I remember he most always had a smile on his face. Happy Father's Day, Dad, you were the best!