Community Chat

[Oznell]

...and men who have stepped up to be fathers and father figures,  Happy Father's Day!

Good Dads are so important in their children's lives.  I think of my own Dad, whose English/ Welsh immigrant father died at 28 of lung disease in a remote New York state sanitarium. He had been a stone mason, and a hard working coal miner in Wales, probably contracting lung issues that way.

My father, age 5, had the vaguest, most poignant memory of waving to him as he left for the hospital.  His father told him to be a good boy, and look out for the family.  He did, but his Dad was never able to come home.  Nevertheless, despite poverty, and a later harsh stepfather,  my Dad grew to be an exemplary man and father, all of whose children adored and respected him.

Thinking of Dads, people who love them, people who miss them--  and especially, those who never had a good Dad and longed for one.  Every child deserves the joy of a good father.

[meallen616]

[jubilant]

@Oznell What a wonderful tribute your

father.

My Dad was a hard worker. He worked in a factory for many years. He was very funny,

always telling jokes and saying funny things. Today, I'm thinking of him a lot. He was a great golfer and never missed the US Open tournament on tv. He also taught Jr. High boys in Sunday School. He made up a song with my middle name  

"Moona Marie" ....where he got that, I'll never know!! He was always singing! 

[Oznell]

@jubilant ,  great portrait of your father, you made him come to life!  He sounds wonderful, an amusing and benign force in your life.  It's so interesting what little kids love and remember about their parents. 

One of my favorite, most vivid memories of my Dad is following him around in the garden, it was hot and sunny, and then he made a funny little metal "man" for me out of old lids that had been lying around. He punched holes for eyes and mouth, and I was wowed... had to be about 4 at the time...

And his twinkle, almost always a twinkle in his hazel eyes.

[shoekitty]

I am 77, my Dad was always up for anything.  To this day my friends I kept in touch with remember him. He took us girls surfing and such. The high point of his bravery was taking me and 3 of my friends to a Ricky Nelson concert. We were on bleachers that wobbled , the screaming, jumping girls. My dad said later he thought he was done for.  lol he talked about that the rest of his life. It was wild, girls were jumping seats away onto our bleecher.  One girl fell over his shoulder lol. I remember in 1967 I had this mini sundress on.  Dad said, what's the matter, you couldn't afford the rest of the dress?  Lol. 

[lynnie61]

One of my favorite memories of my dad, I think I was 6 or 7.  I had my first dive off the high dive at our local pool.  Came home so excited.  The pool didn't close until 9 pm.  At 630 or 7, he took me to the pool.  He came in (he wasn't a member), they let him in the pool area to sit and watch. I probably dove 10 or 15 times.  My mom didn't want to come that night.  I so was proud of my dive.  It's still one of my great memories of him.  Him cheering after every dive.  He's 87 and in failing health.  I'm going to tell him this story.

He did lots of great things for us kids. A great memory for me.   My sister and I and our friends walked through the woods to the pool every day.  6 and 9.  Hard to believe.  

[Oznell]

@shoekitty ,   your Dad must have had nerves of steel!  Great that he hung in there for his daughter!

And @lynnie61 ,  that is so heartwarming-- a father cheering on his daughter in her accomplishment, love that evidence of caring and encouragement.

Wonderful stories.  That's what good Dads do, and it's such a precious, irreplaceable gift....

[jubilant]

---

@Oznell wrote:

@jubilant ,  great portrait of your father, you made him come to life!  He sounds wonderful, an amusing and benign force in your life.  It's so interesting what little kids love and remember about their parents. 

One of my favorite, most vivid memories of my Dad is following him around in the garden, it was hot and sunny, and then he made a funny little metal "man" for me out of old lids that had been lying around. He punched holes for eyes and mouth, and I was wowed... had to be about 4 at the time...

And his twinkle, almost always a twinkle in his hazel eyes.

@Oznell  Awe, what a sweet thing for him to do. We were so lucky to have had such Dads.

---