I only celebrated 12 Father’s Days with my Dad since he died in a farm accident my 12th year. His death was a great shock and loss to our entire family. I often wonder what it would have been like to know my Dad as an adult, to have him hold my children in his arms, to talk to him about his life,  his experiences and to hug him once again.

What I do remember, with tremendous fondness, is…

• riding in the back of his Turquoise Chevy pickup letting the wind blow on my face and hair
• following him around the hog house and watching him do never-ending farm chores
• riding to one of the small farming communities to visit the grain elevator, hardware store or local gathering place
• building a cage and capturing a pigeon for me to take to school for ‘show and tell’
• caring for baby bunnies that had been abandoned by their Mommy
• his love of Adolph the cat and our good old farm dog, Skipper
• hanging a tire swing for me and his grandchildren to enjoy
• watching him crank the old home-made ice cream freezer as I anticipated the luscious results
• riding on the tractor with him
• feeling very grown up filling the gas tanks of the car or truck
• going on picnics and fishing
• watching favorite TV shows together including Bonanza, Lassie, Daniel Boone, Ed Sullivan, etc.
• the piano he bought for me at the State Fair a month before he died
• laughter and teasing (with love)

He was a good guy with a wonderful sense of humor and a dedicated, farmer’s work ethic.

He is missed.  Love you, Dad.