Currently I have been scanning photos from family albums that date back to the 1920’s that my Mother left to us kids. A recent album that I completed contained newspaper articles and photos of my Dad’s Marine Corps career that brought back volumes of memories. A Marines’ Marine, Dad was serious, yet a crack up—it all depended what was going on at the time. He loved this country passionately and joining the Marines was not a difficult decision for him. He loved God and I never heard him use God’s name in vain. This example stayed with me, because even during my younger years of incorporating off-colored vocabulary, I always cringed when God’s name was part of it. Also, when Dad was “ticked-off” his go-to word was “Key-rap.” We respected him (or maybe we just wanted to avoid being “growled” at) by covering our mouths to suppress our amusement.
Dad taught us loyalty: God, Marines/America, family, the Catholic faith. I’m guessing it was new territory for him when he changed political parties soon after President Kennedy. Dad was also deeply devoted to our Mother, another life-long example he gave us.
Boy, did we ever laugh when he played the air guitar wearing a hair extension making fun of our 1960’s music! He also slaughtered the English language on purpose to make us laugh. When we had friends over he would pretend he forgot their names (or maybe he really did???) and when they would remind him, he would always joke and say, “Oh, Mary! [NOT the name given] Now I remember. That’s right!!!” Later we tried to explain Dad’s humor to them–still wouldn’t know if they thought it was as funny as we did.
When I wrote Stories between the Lines Inspired by New Testament Events, I especially loved writing Chapter 5, “The Baker’s Children.” No doubt I was remembering Daddy. Thomas, the father in the story, was loyal, protective, a good provider, humorous, a teacher, wise, a planner, generous, and a man of action. It’s not included in the chapter, but, who knows, maybe he even said “Key-rap” on occasion. LOL.