I just want to share a few things about my father.  This man was more than a father he was a kind, warm, caring man who would do anything for anyone.  He always wanted to take care of everyone.  He always worried about us girls and wanted to make sure we were good.  I think that is where my sister Trina,  gets her compassion of wanting to take care of everyone, which is good we still have a good part of our dad around us.  He loved to discuss politics, sports and his military years.  There was no finer man.  Love you dad miss you so much.  I am the person I am today because of you.

As time went on and we'd come back home to visit, Dads memory would come and go a little bit, for him it started at 75, for me it was 45!

I remember standing in the kitchen and Dad was bragging about the nice bikini that his neighbor Alma had brought over. He kept saying, "it's a nice looking bikini, you can't buy bikinis like that anymore!" I know I was staring at him like he was speaking a foreign language. Finally, I said, " Dad what do you mean she gave you a bikini? Why would she do that?" He says , "because

Alma's nice like that!" I said , "oh I bet she is!" *wink *wink, just teasing of course. Dad Ignored my attempt of humor and was still going on and on about his bikini, eventually, he offered to show it to me.

He walks over to the refrigerator and whips out this mondo size zucchini and says, "See, you can't buy one like this in the store!"

Needless to say, I was relieved that Alma was giving him free zucchini and not bikini's!

He used to say, "it's a Damn waste of money! Every time the Grandkids came to visit, Dad would insist on making his famous lethal weapon Hamburger patties and his Black as night nails he called fries! The kids were real troopers though, they'd sit there and pour 1/2 gal of ketchup on their plates and finish their "Hamburger and Fries"

Eventually, my sisters started feeding the kids before they came over and the Grandkids, for some reason, were always full when Dad would ask if they wanted anything to eat!  

Brian was correct ..... His brother did eat a plate full of ketchup! Dad grew up in the depression, where you felt lucky to have anything on your plate and what you did have on your plate, you cooked until it was rock hard and had no flavor! Dad didn't have McDonalds when he was a kid so he really didn't understand what the difference was between a McDonalds hamburger and fries and his homemade hamburger and fries. cont.

I remember one time we were at his house and eating dinner and my brother was putting ketchup on his plate and watching tv at the same time. When my brother looked at his plate it was full of ketchup and grandpa made him eat the whole plate. My brother pretty much ate a whole plate of just ketchup. He was always telling us that if we put it on our plate we must eat it all. No waste. 

 I feel lucky to have had my father in my life for so long, My mother passed away at a young age leaving my father to become father and mother to 4 girls. He grabbed the challenge and through lots of laughter and tears, we felt blessed and proud of the man who was our father. Whether it was riding around in his army jeep thru apple orchards or turning on wind machines in the middle of the night, being with my Dad was a great gift. The loss I feel is something I can't put in words as I was blessed to have him in my home that 4 years of his life. 

One of my fun motors of my time with daddy was our time in the orchard.  I would go out and help him with his gopher traps.  He would let me pull out the traps to see if we caught anything.  I loved that one on one time with him.  He was such a smart man about so many things and he sure knew his orchard stuff.  Always in my thoughts daddy give momma hug from me and someday we will be together again.