I've bounced around chronologically in these memoirs, as I have skipped to different
periods during my youth, but that is how my thoughts are coming to me right now. I
hope you been able to follow.
I did not solicit any input on memories of my father from my two surviving sisters, as
they have to share their own stories. I'm sure there may be at odds with some of my
memoirs and anxious to add theirs, but these memories are through my eyes.
I've heard people's positive versions of their life without a father or their real father in
their early life. You know, bad father, step-fathers, bad situations, mom's presence only
or raised by grandma...etc.
To be without my dad was unimaginable for me, as my father was a staple, he was
around daily, 24/7 for the rst 29 years of my life. Unfortunately, I relocated from my
parents for the last 4 years of my dad's life.
I was thrilled, my father got a chance to see my youngest daughter months prior to his
death. I am thrilled he got to enjoy my rstborn for many years and spend some time
with my son before he became seriously ill. I know my eldest daughter remembers' him
well. My other 2 children were toddlers. and home visits were not that often because
of the milage distance between us.
As I recall the memorable episode of the rst greeting of my youngest daughter and
my dad. My daddy being legally blind, softly beckoned my daughter to come to him as
he sat in his living room.
My youngest daughter, a shy 2-year-old little princess. She was animately de ant in
greeting anyone with open arms on a rst greeting, besides mom & dad. As a matter of
fact, second, nor third opportunities to say hello were extremely dif cult from her.
You had to earn her trust. Both grandmothers had to work on it...My wife's mother
would never forget that lack of immediate bonding and she seemed to hold that
against her granddaughter during holidays and her birthdays. Her gifts that followed
were smaller, cheaper gifts than her brother would receive by her. We addressed
it...issue resolved with smiles.
Only one sister Number #5 amazingly, did not need a second beckoning for my baby
daughter to greet her. I think she may have seen a bit of her mother in her aunt.
My wife thinks our daughter possibly saw some resemblance to me, in my father