My father was a extraordinary storyteller as was my father's father. He and grandpa were at many family events with all of us gathered around a churning freezer of homemade ice cream to listen to those two tell us stories of their youth and life. My Dad was one of five children and it sounds like they had a raucous time together growing up. My father loved to talk about his youthful days growing up around Mebane and Hillsborough. His group of friends, like many young men even to this day, loved fast cars. They would meet up on a night here or there and take turns racing to the one-lane bridge near their home. Dad would shift while one of his friends would drive the car and push the clutch. It's amazing to think none of them were ever hurt. This started many a young man on his quest to become a Nascar driver.
When my Father met my Mother, they would double-date with my aunt and her future husband, my uncle now. My parents eventually married but they were scared to tell their parents about it since both sets wanted them to wait until they were older and had saved
more money. They were both helping to support the family home. My mom's father farmed tobacco out in Person County and my Dad's father worked on cars and at a trucking company as a mechanic. Both sets of families worked hard to make ends meet but
enjoyed time together. They would go home after seeing each other to their respective parent's homes for weeks after they were actually married. Eventually when they saved up enough money to start their own home, they told each set of parents. That is respect.
I could always count on my Dad to be there when I needed him. He encouraged me to go to college and luckily I listened and went on to become the first one on my side of the family to graduate from college. He went with me to all the financial aid meetings and helped me find a way to afford it. He has a huge cheerleader for me. Don't get me wrong, I worked hard to put myself through college by working 30 - 40 hours a week at Food Lion, but my mom and dad were always there if they could help in any way. Unfortunately today, most kids can't work their way through college, it's just too darned expensive.
My father was your best friend and whenever you needed anything you know you could ask him and he would help you. He never asked for anything in return and usually he never asked for help. He did get some help putting on the addition to our house when I was a teenager but he did so much of it by himself. When our daughter was born, my parents were right there the next day helping out. One Christmas, we gave our daughter, Ashley, a PowerWheels Barbie Corvette. My dad and husband put it together on Christmas Eve. It took a little while, and when they were finished there were some parts left over. You see, my dad never read the instructions, he just studied the parts and assembled them as best he could. That car lasted through our daughter's childhood and we finally gave it away when she turned seven and we were moving to Orlando. It is probably somewhere still running somewhere.
When creating the word kindness, God had to be thinking of my Dad. He was the epitome of kindness and love. He would do anything for the three of us kids, Mom, or anyone else who crossed his path. I was so lucky and blessed to have him as a Father and to have two loving, wonderful parents. God broke the mold when they made my Dad. We talked all most every day after we lost Mom, and he was my connection to that side of my family. I miss those wonderful days of family softball games and homemade ice cream, but mostly I just miss my Dad. But I am one of the luck ones - I had him for a Father. He taught me many things but most of all he taught me to love. They say you end of marrying someone like your father, Lucky for me, my daughter has a Dad that is just a wonderful! I hope she
finds one like my Dad and her father to be the father of her children. Thanks, Dad......
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