Remembering

Tomorrow, April 21, 2011, will mark the fourth anniversary of my father's passing from this life into a new life in Heaven. He was very loved and is deeply missed.

Mom and Dad were married in July 1940 and had five children.

Dad began his adult life as an Iowan farmer but severe allergy to ragweed forced him off the farm. My sisters and I were about 2, 4, 6. It was at that time he began what would be his 40-year career of selling cars.

Mom and Dad at his 90th birthday party in 2005. Dad passed away just over two years later at age 92.

Is there a more poignant time than a father walking his daughter down the aisle? Wasn't he handsome!!

Me in March 1965.

Kathy in October 1965.

Cheryl in December 1966.

My Dad was a great cook. He and Mom would prepare wonderful holiday meals for our family. He was especially known for his homemade ice cream and fudge. Sadly, no one mastered his recipes to carry on the traditions of these fabulous foods, even though we've given it our best shots!

Dad's "other love" was fishing. In a 1968 fishing trip to Copco Lake with Mom, Steve, and Joel, he caught the biggest large mouth bass.

In the very early 1980s we took a family trip (with aunts, uncles, cousins) to Big Bear where we stayed in a cabin owned by church friends. Dad took Brett fishing and this is the fish they caught! Think Brett is about seven in the photo. Also behind are Julie on the left (or is it Jamee??), Jeremy in back, and Rich on the right.

The grandkids also received a lesson in how to clean a fish! What a memory!

For several years, Dad was the "Coffee Man" at my sister Kathy's store. He would open the store for her early on Saturday morning and get the coffee going. He was known for the treats he would give the little kids and loved "doing a little selling" of coffee and the Marty Bell art that Kathy carried at the time. Actually, I think the coffee sales were higher on Saturday than any day of the week.

Dad was a twin. He and his twin brother Owen always wore hats. Must have been a carry-over from their early farm days. Guess you can take the man off the farm but can't take the farm out of the man!

I think this is about the last photo of Mom, Dad, their children and spouses.

This is the last photo of me with Mom and Dad in 2005. I'm pretty sure we were celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. I moved to Kansas and Dad's health declined considerably after this time.

Dad was a hard-working man. Many years he worked seven days a week trying to make a living selling cars. After all he had a wife and five kids to feed! In the 1950s he also worked as a brick mason and was a perfectionist at his craft. He was very good with his hands. He could repair anything, it seemed, and in retirement did some furniture repair and refinishing.

He had his weaknesses, just like all of us, but he loved the Lord and especially loved reading his Bible. When he no longer spent time reading it at the kitchen table, we knew his life was ebbing away.

Dad was a good man, a sweet man, an honest man, whose word was as good as his handshake. He always had a twinkle in his eye! He left his family with a precious legacy!

I will forever be grateful that I was his daughter!