IN MEMORY OF MY DAD

PLEASE ALLOW TIME TO LOAD

Now that's a pretty baby.

He was born in a small town in Texas on June 14, 1916. His parents had come here from Germany.

He married my mother on August 15, 1945 after he had served his country in World War II as a Staff Sgt for the US Army.He served in the European Theatre with the 36th division, which included the Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno,Southern France, Rhineland & Central Europe battles.. He received the E.A.M.E. Campaign Medal with 5 bronze stars,& 1 bronze arrowhead, good conduct medal, distinguished unit badge, american defense service medal, combat infantryman medal. . He would never talk about the awful things he saw while serving in Europe, only once did he say, the worst thing he ever had to do was shoot a woman. He wouldn't take anything from his country, because he said his country owed him nothing, and he was glad to do his part.

When I was hatched ,(see above)which was late in his life, of course almost every man wants a son for his first born. Oh well ,since that didn't happen he raised me like one. He taught me to be tough and not take any crap from anybody. Don't give none and don't take none. I was a fantastic softball player, and the only female in the whole school that wore jeans instead of dresses, which is what you used to wear to school.

My dad was wise. Before he spoke to give his opinion he thought about it before he said anything. You were wise if you took it, cause if you didn't you usually got into more trouble.

I remember wanting to ride a horse one time when I went to the country and I was with my aunts (his sisters) and they almost didn't let me ride cause my dad had told them that nothing better happen to me. They were nervous the whole time. When it came to me you better be on your p's and q's.

All males were called bulls by him, especially if they showed us girls any interest. He never did get a son but he got four gorgeous daughters who gave him three g-sons and some more girls.

He would give you the shirt off his back even if it meant he didn't have another one. That's just the way he was.
He never made an enemy that I ever heard about.
He didn't have to spank us, his voice was quite enough.

The first worst day of my life came when him and my mom separated and got a divorce. She took us away to be with a total jerk. I never forgave her, but then thats another story. She is my mother. I love her anyway.

My father never forgot my BD or any other holidays although we were miles apart and when I got old enough to leave home I went back to Texas where I was born, I later got suckered back to Florida where I don't belong.

I'm writing this because I lost my father the day after Valentines and while it is for sweethearts and love and all that mess, I remember most fondly my Dad. I had went to Texas when he got sick and brought him back to Florida where I could see about him. His last words to me were....Take Me Home.

He worked hard all his life, we never had to worry about food, even if he had to cook it, or clothes to wear, we came first.

I'm crying now just remembering the next worst days of my life when the phone call came and the days to follow making arrangements to send him home, back to the place where he was born.

I could go on and on about the things we shared and the fun we had, but that would take me much too long and not the reason for this page which is just a dedication to him from me.
Hopefully it will help you to appreciate and take time with your parents because you won't have them forever, but maybe you can use their wisdom that they passed to you as I have tried to pass it down to mine. I try to live each day as my father would have wanted me to.

His funeral was lovely with the VFW giving me much support.

So give your sweetheart something on Valentines but also if still living give your parents, adopted parents, or who raised you  something also, a hug, thank you or whatever. If they have passed on then put a flower on their graves. If it's impossible to get along with them for whatever the reason, do your best to make amends before it is too late. Don't  feel regrets after they are gone.

I miss my dad as if it was yesterday that he left, and will until I leave this world. I didn't just lose my father, I lost my best friend.

The song on here says it all about a father's love, sung by Holly Dunn.