Father's Day

With Father's Day coming up, of course my Dad has been on my mind lately.  Here is a picture of him when he went to work at Monsanto in Decatur, Alabama in the late sixties.  I need to find out actual dates and write them down. Wasn't he such a handsome fellow!?!  He was one of the sweetest people I've ever known and always had a hug for us when we were growing up and even when we were grown. He comes from a family of "huggers".  When you leave a visit with any of them, more than likely you will get a hug and a caution to "be careful" which originated with my Granny, Dad's Mom. 

Above is a picture of my father with my Mom either taken when they were dating or very early in their marriage.  They graduated in May, 1958 and then married young in January, 1959.  Mom was only 15 when she graduated as she had been double-promoted twice during her school days, turning 16 right afterwards.  Dad was 19 when they married.  I was born then in 1960 and my brothers, Stanley and Gary, in 1962 and 1965. They were very young parents.

Here is my Dad with me at my wedding in 1980.  The year following he and my mother ended up getting a divorce.  Dad married again in 1981 and had 2 more sons, Jeremy and Tony, with his wife, Charlotte.  He always joked that I was the best daughter he had!  Because he ended up raising another family while I was doing the same, we didn't get to see each other as much maybe as I would have liked to, but still talked and visited fairly often, especially earlier on.  As years passed, seemed like life got so hectic that I didn't make the time for these things like I should have. Dad was forced to retire early, in his early 60's, because he had developed Alzheimer's.  I didn't know it at the time and only found this out later. He died year before last in November.  One of my regrets in life is that I didn't spend as much time with him as I should have. We get so involved in day-to-day living that it becomes so easy to let simple but important things like this slide.

Take time to hug those you love!  If your Dad is still with you, give him a big one!  Make time with loved ones a priority in your life.  One less thing to regret later on.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!  Love you so much!