A True Father

Father’s Day is a nationally designated day to honor the men who gave us life & took care of us for a large part of our lives. To some Fathers it will mean a tacky tie or breakfast in bed. But then, to many in the world the term Father does not refer to a man as honorable and loving as the patriarch of our family.

Over 62 years ago our family began with two loving people who cared for each other greatly and still do to this day. They have set the example for all to follow. Bob’s youngest daughter recently asked him if his caring for his wife Cheri comes from the example that his dad set for him. Bob answered in the affirmative.

When I was in college I came across a little plaque the said "The most important thing a Father can do for his children is to Love their Mother!" I sent it home to Dad and the next time I was home from school I saw it prominantly displayed in the living room. I remember several times that it was pointed out to visitors with the statement 'That's the rule in this house!'

We are so fortunate to have the loving example we do. Recently a letter to Dear Abby detailed a nightmarish home situation, which a woman finally had the courage to leave and save her children from. She said that before she finally left she had appealed to her husband’s family to help her with him. Her brother-in-law sympathized but wouldn’t get involved. Her sister-in-law didn’t want to hear anything bad about her brother. Her father-in-law asked what she had done to ‘set her husband off’. It was obvious that her husband had been raised in a home were it was acceptable for the husband to use any excuse to get angry and abusive. In discussing this with Mother and Dad I made the comment that it’s too bad that everyone in the world wasn’t raised with the example we had growing up. I truly believe the world would be a better place if they had.

It all started here with this young couple obviously very much in love (and as Mother said when I showed them this pic and made that comment - they still are!)

He went to work with the railroad - being sent all over the State of Montana to support his young family.

This is a picture from one of his work stations in Hysham, Montana in 1957.

I remember one of my sisters (I don't remember which one) telling me something about living in a 'box-car' when we first moved to Billings. So I recently asked Mother & Dad about that. They first looked at me as if I was crazy, then remembered that one of Dad's work places housed the person manning the place in a converted coach train car and the family visiting him there for a week at a time on a couple of locations. That was at a little place called Benz, MT where there was a water tower and coal storage for the steam engines to stock up. The coach car was a passenger car with the seats removed and fitted out as a sort of trailer sitting on the siding with no wheels. Something sort of like this.

From that start the family has grown and his family has always been a priority to Dad. As a young father he carried a pocket sized photo album titled "Our Kids" with him when he had to go out of town. Here are a couple of the photos included in that album.

Here is the gang as we were not long after the move to the house on Lake Elmo.

And here's the final addition to the original family group. Baby David in 1961.

The love and example he has given all of us lives on and on in each generation of our family. We all love and honor the man who gave us life on this day and every day of the year!!