June 16, 2019 (Sunday)
Father’s Day comes around again today. It gives people a chance to express their love in a special way. For many it offers an opportunity to show appreciation to fathers who may find it hard to be affectionate under other more “normal” circumstances.
I had three fathers as I grew up. There was my father, Charlie, who was a very quiet, hard-working man, always kind to me. Then there was my grandfather, Forest, who taught me many things about courtesy and tact and appreciation of others. Since my parents divorced and remarried, we children found ourselves living with one, then the other, and much of the time with our grandparents. The third father I had was my stepfather, Joe, who was an energetic, hard-working businessman who was good to his stepchildren as well as his children. I called my three fathers “Daddy,” “Big Dad,” and “Joe.”
When Father’s day came around, I had three cards to put in the mail: one each for Charlie, Forest, and Joe. Wanda always was the one who purchased the cards, one for her own father, Louie, school superintendent and man of great integrity, and three for mine. She always remembered Father’s Day and each of them.
Forest died in 1957, Charlie in 1979, Louie in 1987, Joe in 1994, Wanda in 2002. Now there are no more cards to buy, and the one who always did it is gone, too. Father’s Day now is different for me than it used to be. Now I’m the oldest. Time moves along and opportunities pass. If there is someone you should remember on Father’s Day, or someone you need to remember for any reason, please do it while you can. You may not always have the privilege of doing it again. Whatever the circumstances, you’ll always be glad you did.
The hymn, Faith of Our Fathers, was sung at the funeral of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It will no doubt be sung in churches all across our country today as we celebrate Fathers Day.
JUNE 19 – HAPPY 85th BIRTHDAY TO MY TWIN SISTERS, ELVA AND MELVA
Born in 1934.
The family is celebrating today in Houston.
This picture was made at Easter in Herman Park, Houston, circa 1938
Elva Underwood and Melva Keil
This picture was made about 10 years ago. Left, Elva. Right, Melva. Center, Mary Ellen Sanders, our sister, born in 1953.
Our sister, Brenda Jones, born in 1945, and her husband, James.
This picture made circa 1953? My brothers Joe Heim (inset at 70), Jimmy Heim (would have been 70 in January), and I (now 87). Sorry for the lack of recent pictures.
My son, Dwight, has posted thousands of photos on Flickr. Click here to see them.