My dad passed away 2-1/2 years ago but I think of him nearly every day. I was lucky in that I brought my parents to New Orleans and Pensacola when I was working storms so was able to spend hours with my dad, asking him questions. I taped several hours while driving home one trip but still need to summarize the tapes.
My dad was born in San Antonio moving to California as a teenager. He landed a job at the Post Office when we were young and moved up to Supervisor before retiring. He was a very hard worker, sometimes working extra jobs in the evening. He always provided for the family and we really did not do without.
When we were young my dad would pack all of us up and take us to Griffith Park. While my siblings and I played on the playground equipment my dad would make breakfast for all of us. I don’t remember what we would eat but I do remember him cooking.
He loved to cook and was a good cook, adventurous at times. He would put different types of foods together for my brother Mike’s lunch, trying to see if Mike would maybe be grossed out. But Mike would come home and talk about what he’d eaten, as if my dad had prepared him a gourmet meal.
My dad loved to travel. When I was really young we went camping in Yosemite and then as we were older we went camping for a month at Dinky Creek in the Sierras. My dad built a little trailer that they would pack up with supplies and we’d go off for the month of swimming, cooking, eating and hiking. My dad and I would sometimes take the trail bikes and go riding for the day. Once we got unpacked only to discover that my dad’s box of clothes had been left at home. He had to wear the same things for the month. He would jump in the water to wash his clothes.
My dad always thought of us first. When I needed a new truck so badly he would call regularly to see if I’d looked yet. He also started calling me every day when I was working storms. He would first ask what I’d eaten, then make sure everything was alright.
When I was in New Orleans, for a wind storm, he was making his daily calls and finally I told him that I was getting airplane tickets for the two of them so that he could eat with me. After picking them up from the airport I took them to the French Quarter and took them around. Before going back to the Extended Stay I got us some Beignets at Café du’Monde. Boy did I create a monster; every morning he would say, “Chris do you think we could just pick up an order of Beignets?” and every evening he would ask if we could just go have some Beignets for a little desert. He loved wondering the streets of The French Quarter with my mom while I worked on my claims while sitting at Café du’Monde.
My dad loved his grand kids, every one of them. He took pride and bragged to anyone who would listen on the latest news from any of the kids. He was able to make it to every college graduation and to the weddings.
When the great grandkids came along he was bursting with pride again. He would come to our house to see his kids. He laughed at their antics still remembering the funny little sayings until he died. The four older kids were able to have a wonderful relationship with him and still miss him to this day.
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