Sunday, June 16, 2013

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. DAD

,
My Dad was born December 31, 1909.  My Grandpa use to kiddingly say Dad made it in time for Grandpa to take him off his taxes that year. My Dad was the second oldest in a large family. He was named after his uncle George.  Dad had to drop out of school and work on a farm when he was about 13 or 14 to help support the family.  Even though his Dad, worked on the railroad, there wasn't enough money, so my Dad had to go to work, too. Dad lived at the farm 5 days a week and would come home on weekends.  Also working at the farm was Wallace Farnsworth and he and my Dad became good friends.  When they were dating age my Dad introduced Wallace to his sister Anna.  To make a long story short, even though his parents were against it, Wallace married my Aunt Anna.  Eventually Wallace's parents came around.  Aunt Anna and Uncle Wally were married for over 60 days before he passed on, she passed away a few years later.

During his teen years, my Dad was in an automobile accident where he broke every bone in his body.  His parents were called saying he was going to die, but he proved the doctors wrong.  Because of the accident my Dad had one leg shorter than the other.  So when World War II broke out he went to enlist but was refused because of his leg.  Dad searched until he found a factory making war equipment that needed a tool and dye maker-which was Mc Donald Douglass in California.  They made airplanes for the military-so Dad, Mom and my oldest brother George, moved to California.

They were in California where my second brother, Robert was born.  Dad also became a Real Estate Salesman in California after the war-so he was working two jobs.  Eventually he decided to move home to where I live today and they had me.  Dad was still working at in the factory plus he got a Real Estate Salesman License here.  The third picture down is my favorite of my Dad, we are out to dinner celebrating that he got his Real Estate Broker's license.  He worked at the factory and Real Estate until one day he got his hand caught in the machine at work which cut off the top of one of his fingers.  While home recovering he sold Real Estate.  He did need that finger at the factory, put could drive a car and show Real Estate without using that finger.  That's when my parents had a meeting and decided that Dad was going to quit the factory and just work on Real Estate.  My Mom was really nervous that it might not work.  So when Dad went back to the factory he gave them two weeks notice to which his boss told him he would ever make it in Real Estate.  Were they wrong.

Dad went into business 24 hours a day including Sunday.  He always felt he did his best business on Sunday because Monday thru Friday people worked, on Saturday they did home chores and Sunday was their free time to look at houses.  He was the only Real Estate Broker open on Sunday and it worked.  When someone wanted to sell a house that needed work, Dad would buy it, do all the work on it and resell it.  During the worse winter storms, Dad would go out and leave his card at all the trailers in the mobile home parks-he always got customers from there.  They wanted to move from a trailer to a house.  When his business took off, he started taking second morgages so people could buy their first home.  When he had salesmen and then salesladies he would make them each have an open house on Sunday and he would drive people that maybe weren't interested in the open house to show them other houses. His business was in our home so Mom was his secretary and typed up all the purchase offers until she to became the first saleslady in New York State. Then I became the secretary.

My Dad always said that each person has a perfect job or slot that God had set for them.  All you had to do is find it and his was Real Estate.  My brother, Bob became a teacher, but he too, also went in the Real Estate business and so did his daughter.  So we have had three generations in the Real Estate business.

Somehow Dad also had time to attend our school performances, graduations, parent nights, etc.  Before we could drive, he took us and our friends to activities.  Also, every Sunday morning we went to church and then out to breakfast as our time together.  He was home most every night to my Mom's six o'clock supper on the table.  Dad loved to go fishing, but only if one of us kids would go with him.  He taught my brother's how to shoot and hunt.

I always remember my Dad wearing a suit.  You could tell when he went from casual to business because he would put his suit on and that ment he was off selling.

My parents retired and moved to Florida.  They bought a house down there and they got a motorhome which they would travel in.  When their heath started to fail, I went to take care of them.  Mom passed first and my Dad went down from there.  He died three years after Mom on July 11th 1998.

I was Daddies little girl.  There was a song out once called Daddy's Little Girl and Dad use to sing it to me.  I use to get upset especially when I was in my 40's and he would still sing that song to me.  I wish he were here to sing it to me today.  I miss Dad and Mom so much.

The top picture is of my Dad in 1932.  The second is of Dad and Mom in the Adirondack Mountains back in the 1950's.  Third is when he got his Broker's License. The next is of Dad and I when I moved to Florida.  The last is of my Dad in his older years.  Funny thing is Dad isn't in a lot of family pictures-because he usually was the one that took the pictures.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD,
Marilyn

22 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Happy Father's Dad, not only to my Dad, but all the Dad's. Even if you are a single man, but help the neighbors kids, or a boy scout leader,teacher etc. you are making an impression on the children-consider yourself a Dad. I know a couple of different men that have never married or had children, but have worked with children and made greater impressions that some parents have.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful tribute to your Dad! I am sure he would be proud of you today.......Happy Father's Day to all the Dads - it is an awesome job!

Chris

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you , Chris. I hope he would be proud of me today. Being a Dad is an awesome job.

Happy Father's Day to all Dad's,
Marilyn

Vickie said...

Awww, Marilyn, what a wonderful post for your Dad. I am so glad you were Daddy's girl. I wanted to be, but I did not have a good childhood at all. Your post makes me happy. Such nice pictures you have shared of you and your parents.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Vickie,
I am sorry to hear you had such a bad childhood. I know lots of kids did. My parents and I had our disagreements over the years, too-especially in my teen years. I always told Dad I had to be his favorite daughter-I was the only one he had. Now as I am older, I see things different. There are times I wish I could contact them and talk to them again. I am glad this post made your happy.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
New York State Of Mind said...

I just took an Anonymous off who was trying to promote something on here. Darn these Anonymous. I don't mind when our regular people use them, but people promoting junk get me.

Marilyn

Veronica said...

What an amazing blog today about your dad Marilyn!! It is wonderful to read about how you were such a daddys girl. I also think you have some of your dads looks. I seen a picture on ebay of you once. I am looking forward to all the post to come about the auction. I also want to wish all those men out there who are dads or just positive role models to others a Happy Fathers Day!! Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!! God Bless Veronica

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Veronica,
You saw a picture of me on ebay ???? I would have liked to have seen that.If you see it again, let me know. Glad you like my post on my Dad. Yup, I was Daddy's girl. Hope all men who had a great influence on children have a Happy Father's Day.

God Bless,
Marilyn

Fionalina said...

This is lovely Marilyn-thank you for sharing your Dad's story and special memories-

Happy Father's Day

Fionalina


Countryside Reflections said...

What a nice tribute to your dad. I had a 'picture perfect' childhood too, just like Ozzie and Harriet, and I feel so blessed that they gave me a wonderful upbringing. My dad passed away 9 years ago, and now my mom lives with me and has advanced dementia. She'll be 97 next month.

Happy Father's Day to all the men. Now I'm off to make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for my husband. His favorite!

Doreen

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Fionalina,

Thank you so much.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Doreen,
I am so glad you had a great childhood. I did too. So many children don't these days. You are baking oat meal cookies- that was my Dad's favorite cookie, too.

Happy Father's Dad to All Dad's,
Marilyn

Veronica said...

I think the picture was you one time when I looked at things you were selling there in your ebay store. If I am wrong then I guess have been having some crazy dreams.LOL

jodie said...

What a wonderful Dad you had, I'm sure he looked down today and read it.
I was also a Daddy's girl but he died when I was 18. I still miss him and think of him often.
jodie

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Veronica,

Oh, it may have been there. I forgot about that. I thought someone was selling a picture of me or something. Only wish, LOL Right?

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Jodie,

I am so sorry you Dad died when you were so young. I still miss my Dad, too and think of him often.

Marilyn

SueAnn said...

Well done, Marilyn! Well done! Your mom was cute as a button! I am a Little Daddy's girl too..and I know the song you mean...my dad sang it too! No matter how old we get...we will always miss our parents....so many times I want to call Dad and ask a plumbing question!!!! Or , Mom..to go shopping..but...that was years ago..and the memories keep it alive.....Well done, my dear....you did your Daddy proud!

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello SueAnn,
Thank you so much. I am so glad someone else know's that song, too. Sure wish I could go shopping with my Mom or ask my Dad a question, too. I sure hope my Dad would be proud of me.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
kymber said...

Marilyn - i have never met your Dad but your description of him in this tribute makes me feel that i know him. he sounds like he had a very good work ethic and was smart as a whip. also he sounds like he was very family-minded, something that is so rare in fathers today. i am glad that you were his "little girl". i really enjoyed reading this.

your friend,
kymber

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Kymber,
Thank you for your comments. My Dad was a hard worker and family came first. He wanted all of us to have a better life than he did when he was young. I was very lucky God gave me parents like mine were.

Marilyn