Today would've been my dad's 83rd birthday. He was born December 10th, 1926 in a little town of Northern Minnesota. Happy Birthday Father! =) I so MISS you & LOVE you! See you in HEAVEN!
My dad was a man of integrity, honesty, faithfulness, intellegence, kind hearted & love. He was a Christian, Husband & Father of 3. His love flourished wherever he was and I don't mean the kind of love that is there just because I am his daughter. He was a man that truely loved me for me! He was full of unconditional love. My father taught me how to enjoy life no matter the situation. He taught me to love me even if it seemed no one else did because I am a child of God's. Dad also taught me right from wrong and how to say NO when I knew better. He was there when I first got behind the wheel of his car, drove the motorcycle and snowmobile for the first time. It was dad that helped build us kids a go-cart to ride around in the fields.
Dad served in the Arm Forces during many of the wars. He was a hard worker in the Iron Ore Mines never missing a day of work in 38 years but yet drove 45 minutes to work & 45 miles home again M-F. He'd always be home right on time just as we'd be getting home from school.
My dad had many talents... welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrician, contruction, mechanics, painter, electric guitar and artist... you name it, he could do it! He built his own home & was forever updating or adding on something or another. Mom still lives in the same house 55 yrs later and the house still looks brand new! Dad put a lot of work into it providing us with a good place to live. He even designed & made most of the playground equipment across the street from us which to this day still has alot of children (& adults) enjoying it.
I spent much time outdoors with my dad. He loved the outdoors... hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, boating, waterskiing, antique cars, gardening, all the while teaching me how to do those too! Not once did my father criticize for not understanding something; he'd just explain or show me until I learned whatever it may be.
Dad was also a "fair" father... he didn't treat us 3 any different. We all learned whatever it was & disciplined if we acted up. He took kind to the rule, "if you use it you put it back where you found it." If we mistreated something we knew it without him even saying a word. Wasn't a frown either, he'd just look at us & smirk. Hardly do I remember a day that my father yelled at us children! He was a pretty easy going guy & on the quiet side; seemed to get along with everyone.
Dad was right there to help me out with a project of carpentry, wood working, fixing my car, snowmobile... whatever it may be. I couldn't even count the times that I moved & it was always my dad helping me! He was quite strong & in good health most of his life.
The love my dad had was never less than! Every Sunday morning he'd take us to Sunday School then come back so we could all attend the Worship Service together. He was also an usher for many years & served on the Men's Club. He was a Boy Scout Leader, member of Itasca Vintage Car Club, Curling Club & various other organizations.
Every Sunday after church he'd drive out to the resort my grandparents built, owned & operated on Deer Lake so we could spend the day with them. Often we'd work together collecting sap from the Maple trees, hauling 5 gallon buckets to the big tank on the tractor which later would be emptied into the vasts and boiled up into syrup.
The love my dad had was never less than! Every Sunday morning he'd take us to Sunday School then come back so we could all attend the Worship Service together. He was also an usher for many years & served on the Men's Club. He was a Boy Scout Leader, member of Itasca Vintage Car Club, Curling Club & various other organizations.
Every Sunday after church he'd drive out to the resort my grandparents built, owned & operated on Deer Lake so we could spend the day with them. Often we'd work together collecting sap from the Maple trees, hauling 5 gallon buckets to the big tank on the tractor which later would be emptied into the vasts and boiled up into syrup.
Every summer Dad would get weeks of paid vacation. He'd hitch up the camper to car & off we'd go, head out across country. He took us from Minnesota to the west coast & back. To the east coast & back, the south coast & all over Canada. Everywhere we went we had fun & each new place he'd buy a state or city sticker & place it on the edging of the camper. Quite a collection we had! I had inherited the camper and had it stored on my brother's lot but after his death my nephews decided to junk it without my knowledge which really made me angry & sad. That camper held tons of memories & lots of my belongings including my fishing equipment, life jackets, kitchen things & years worth of journals. All lost due to their drug induced stupidity or rather uncaring attitude towards others which would also be concidered 'selfishness.' It's a shame that they became fatherless during their teen years! I pray for them daily.
Anyway, I think my dad owned every tool possible and he was quite the collector of things but always organized. We'd know right where to look for the perfect piece of wood, nail, screw, bolt, etc. It's a good thing he had built a 4 stall garage. :-) Like I mentioned, he was a very talented man. Both my brother's had attended Vo-Tech Diesel Machanics so he'd bought them their own tool chest filled. After my oldest brother was killed June 1st, 1978; Dad gave Steven's tools to me after he would pass so that I too could keep fixing things. He had also promised me his tools! Unfortunetly, I was working in AZ & wasn't able to fly back when the decision was made to tear down Dad's garage after Mom remarried because I lost everything I had stored in it, except the tools I inherited. One day I hope to have my own house so I'll be able to bring Steven's & Dad's tools to my own place. (Course Mom's 2nd husband uses them now)
It's all I've left that belonged to my Father (materalistically speaken). You see, after my father died June 21st, 2000 my mother remarried. With that came a huge family and so things that my dad worked hard for goes to the step-family. It breaks my heart because like my dad, I am also a sentimental kind of person. It's not the fact of material things, in fact I'm far from materialistic! (with exception to this computer) Ha It's the fact that it was my Dad's and my brother Steven's and there's nothing more valuable then the LOVE that both of them had for me & I had for them. Besides God Almighty, they were my protectors, teachers and my supporters.
My other brother was killed July 3rd, 2005; so it's just Mom & myself left now. See you in Heaven Guys! I LOVE you and MISS you daily!
Your daughter & sister,
P.s. I've mega tons of photos to share but still have not been able to fix the connection drivers between pc & scanner.
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