Dear Dad ("Sir") -

Remembering you on Father's Day 2019, and thought I'd give you an update on the family, and life in general. First, an update on Mom: She's hanging in there at Sunrise, and doing ok, although she misses you very much. But she's being cared for, and Paul and Kar visit regularly on Fridays and Sundays - bring her a meal, supplies, snacks (cheese puffs and Quinoa chips!), keep her wine bar fully stocked and keep her room clean. So she's comfortable, but the food is still lousy. She's ok with breakfast and lunch, but generally skips dinner. Has a regular group she sits with, including a woman named Ruth that she's become friendly with.  Otherwise, she says that most of the ladies she sits with are "out of it," and can't really hold a conversation.

The big news to share is that Kate got married last week to Ian!  Beautiful wedding ceremony at the Valley Forge Chapel. Eileen and I rented a van, and took Mom to the wedding and the reception, which was at the Philander Chase Knox Estate, right nearby in Valley Forge Park, just across the covered bridge. Knox was a politician who was Attorney General under Teddy Roosevelt, and then Secretary of State under Taft. He built the Estate in the late 1800's, and lived there until he passed in 1903. Robert Ryan Caterers runs the place now, and has turned it into a lovely wedding venue. 

Big crowd was there - probably over 150.  Joe's family was all there: Gene (he looks great - still going strong, and did one of the readings); Christopher and Gina and their 2 girls, and Chrissy was there too - lives in Florida now with husband Rudy; Ann and John - (he's the Optometrist, remember?); and Jane was there, too with Seamus and 3 of their kids. Willie and Bonnie were there, too - with "the midgets" who are all grown up!  Kristen is into fashion and makeup, wants to be a chemist, and Daniel is tall and handsome, and in college now.  Karen's old friend Evie was there with husband Howard. Howard finally sold his printing business, and coaches soccer at Haverford in retirement.

• Dad was a great fan of the Phillies and the Eagles, and was a typical Philly pessimist when it came to chances of either team winning close or big games (“they’ll probably take the choke” he would often say)
• Having attended both Villanova and North Carolina, he was a big Wildcats and Tar Heels basketball fan
• His father died suddenly in November 1937, just before Dad’s 12th birthday, and he was the youngest of his siblings, cared for by his mother throughout his adolescent and teenage years, who we all referred to as “Ma"
• Ma lived another 28 years, and passed away in 1965. Mom’s Father and Mother died in 1954 and 1956 respectively.  So during married life, between the ages 29 and 40, Dad had lost both his parents and in-laws, and Dad and Mom had to make their way in life without that support, raising five children.  I think this brought them closer together with their immediate family and close friends, all of which were very important to Dad (and Mom).
• He and Mom were from the same West Philadelphia neighborhood, and met in High School - she went to Girls High, and Dad went to St. Thomas More. They married in October, 1949.
• Mom and Dad modeled true companionship throughout their married life - and I always admired their formality around having the table set for breakfast every morning, for the two of them, and their 4pm “cocktail hour.” These were essential, everyday events for Dad and Mom throughout their later years in marriage
• In a note that I found while clearing out their house last summer, Dad expressed to Mom “When it is our time to pass, I hope that the Lord takes me first, because I could never live a day in this world without you”