Remembering my dad...

One year ago today my father left this Earth. How we miss him. My oldest daughter went with me to visit his crypt. I stopped at the sweet little flower shop across from the cemetery to buy some roses. The dear man asked if it was for the cemetery and I said yes. He then gave me an unbelievably low price. It appeared they do that regularly. His manner was so kind I almost started crying right there. It was as though he could sense this was a recent wound and a significant day.

My father is pictured above on vacation with us at Lorien in Northern Michigan. He loved to spend a week there each summer with all of his grandchildren. On the way home he always stopped to buy all the kids ice cream.

My father was a kind man, very gracious and courteous. He was not easily offended and gave a lot of himself.

He was a die-hard University of Michigan fan, having graduated from there over 5o years ago. I am also a Michigan graduate as was my grandfather, and my father always hoped that one of his grandchildren would go there too. When my oldest son was accepted at both Michigan and at Notre Dame, he chose to attend Notre Dame. But he told his grandfather, "But don't worry, Grandpa, when Michigan plays Notre Dame I'll still root for Michigan." My father replied, "Really, Mike? I'm going to be rooting for Notre Dame." That was the kind of Grandpa he was. One of the last things he said to Mike was, "There's nothing I'd rather do than be at your graduation from Notre Dame this May. He didn't make it. But I know he was there in spirit....

Tomorrow, and the for the next few days, I'm going to be writing posts honoring my dad.