“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
My dad is 86. He was born December 18, 1929. Daddy is steady. He is strong. He is smart. He is wise. He is quiet. He is true. He is strong and committed and God-fearing and God-loving. I love my daddy.
My daddy is in his last days. He will be with Jesus soon. He will have a heavenly reunion with my momma. His brothers. His parents. And many other family and friends. Heaven will celebrate. We will mourn. Daddy will be healed. We will be lost.
But we will remember.
I will always see parts of Daddy, not only in myself, but in each of my children. God gives us reminders of all those we have loved and lost by giving us children and, one day grandchildren. I love seeing parts of Daddy (and Momma) in my children!
Jordan inherited from his Paw Paw his love of learning. I remember when I was 7 years old my dad retired from the Air Force and began teaching at the Aviation School in Ozark, Alabama. He also began his undergraduate studies at Troy State majoring in history. He attended night classes. It took him many years but he graduated around 1974. He was the first of his family to have a college degree. I don’t recall celebrating his graduation or anything. Seems like we would have… But know this: Daddy was always studying something. Growing up we always had up-to-date encyclopedias. Always had Science Yearbooks. Always had Time magazines. Always had National Geographic. Always gaining new knowledge.
Scott inherited from his Paw Paw his quite strength and wisdom. I remember when Daddy spoke – we stopped and we listened. He may have been a quiet man and his words few, but each word was measured and full of strength and wisdom. He was always thinking. He was always waiting for the right time to share. And when that time came, we heard great things. As an art major I had history classes every semester (well, back then we actually had quarters!) But history was a struggle for me. Daddy being a history major helped “paint the picture” for me. He told me to image history as a large mural on a long wall with each event “painted” on the timeline. After that first C, I mastered history! Always sharing little bits of his wisdom.
Katelyn inherited from her Paw Paw his love of teaching. Back in the day Daddy’s students loved him. He was fair. He cared. And he loved teaching. He students gave him a Greatest Teacher trophy that sits on a table in his living room today. As Daddy has lost many of his memories, one of the last things he held on to was his teaching memories. I was sharing with him a couple of months ago about Katelyn and her teaching job. It sparked a memory. He points his finger at the trophy and says, “You see that?” And he proceeds to share his memory. Always teaching.
Alana inherited from her Paw Paw his love of community, food and playing games. I remember Daddy always loved camping. He and Momma traveled many, many miles in their RVs. And after Momma died, he and Inez married and they continued their travels. Daddy always had his travel clubs. He loved the socializing. He loved the potluck dinners. He loved the community. He loved the game playing – I think he still holds the Skip-Bo championship! Daddy would take the girls on some of his travels and card playing was always a big part of there time together. Always loving life.
Steady. That is the word Race uses to describe my Daddy. Race did not have a good father influence growing up. He did not have anything close to “steady” as a child. For Race my dad has been that one continuous ribbon throughout the past 37 years. It makes me proud to know my husband loves my daddy the way I do. And that my daddy has filled a special role in his life.
Daddy IS steady. He IS true. He IS strong and committed and God-fearing and God-loving. I love you, Daddy. Thanks for always being by my side.
going gentry 