Happy Father's Day

Okay, so I'm a day late but it's the thought that counts! I'd like to take this time to recognize to really 2 great fathers that I know, Brian and my father Jake (who I called Pops). I'm going to make this tribute into 2 postings because I believe each one of them deserves their own recognition. It's ironic because when I introduced Brian to my family, their first reaction was that he reminded them of my father. Brian didn't like being compared to him at first but once he got to know him, he felt it was an honor.

First of all, Pops was a very hard worker. He worked in various factories in my home town and he only left a job because he was laid off. All of his bosses liked him because he was a good man and a hard worker, all his co-workers liked him because he was a good man. I don't remember him ever missing a day of work. As a matter of fact, my dad use to get attendance award gifts every year because he never called in sick. He received baseball tickets and would take me and my brothers to Cincinnati Reds games when we were young.

Pops was a quiet man. He didn't really say alot and I don't ever remember him telling me he loved me but I knew he did. He showed it by the things he did for us, me in particular. I was his favorite (my mom says I was his father's day gift) and he did things for me that I took for granted at the time but as I became an adult, I really appreciated the sacrifices he made for me. When I was a runner in high school I always ran at night and Pops would follow behind me in his car to make sure I was okay. Before I could drive he would pick me up from high school and he would wait sometimes 15 minutes for me to stop talking to my friends and come out of the building. Not once did he ever complain to me about waiting. He brought me my first car, a blue Ford Mustang and in the winter time he would shovel the snow off my car and start my car so it was warm for me before I left for high school. I never once heard Pops say anything bad about anyone and everyone loved him. After work he would sit on our porch and read the paper and people would stop by to talk to him. I'm talking both adults and kids!

Brian was in the Air Force in Washington State when my father died. I use to talk to my mother once a week on the phone and whenever Pops would answer, we shared small talk and then he put my mother on the phone. The Saturday before he died, I called home and Pops told me mom was getting her hair done. Instead of saying I'll tell her you called, he started talking to me. He asked me about my dreams for the future and various other things. I remember getting off of the phone and telling Brian I just had a 20 minute conversation with Pops and how cool that was. I believe Heavenly Father blessed me by allowing me to have this last conversation with him before he passed away.

Pops passed away from a heart attack at work on May 31, 1989. He woke up and didn't feel well but went to work anyway and died in the parking lot. He was so well liked that at his funeral it was standing room only because there were so many people. His bosses liked him so much that not only did they go to his funeral, they allowed employees to take time off to go to his funeral. At his viewing, so many people shared with me stories about him and how he touched their lives.

Here is a picture of me and my dad when he was in the army

Here is a pic of me and my brother Jamie with Pops

And finally, at my wedding

Me, Brian and Keith were able to spend a month at home in the summer of 1988 so my father was able to meet and spend time with him. Even though he never got to meet Danessa on this earth, I know he knew her in the pre-existance and sent her to me!