The following article originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of the Elevator Constructor.
Brothers and sisters:
After attending the annual Retirees Dinner, golf outing and picnic I noticed how many fathers and sons not only attended together, but how many we have in the local. This got me thinking about my own father and the influence that fathers have on their sons.
I lost my father three years ago after a long battle with heart disease. Our relationship was not always the best but in the end we were able to resolve our differences man to man, father to son. There are a few things I will always remember about him.
First, he always had change in his pocket. When we played catch and he would run after one of my errant throws, it would jingle in that wonderful, melodious way that loose change does. Occasionally, my work keys make the same sound and I’m reminded of him.
Second, he was not the most patient man in the world except when on the pool table or golf course where his patience was immense. The time he took to teach me the skill involved in those games and the appreciation for and the patience needed to make the perfect shot grows exponentially with each passing year.
His last wish was to see my mother for one last time. Against all odds, my sister, Amy, made that happen in a story that is far too long to tell here. It was barely 45 minutes after my mom was wheeled to his side that he passed away. I admire my sisters perseverance in giving a dying man his last wish and a happy ending to a complete life.
My son Jon, father Ray and myself. Summer 1991
My children’s memories of me will be different than my memories of my father. The most that I can hope for is that along the way I have passed along important positive life lessons that they will carry with them and pass along to their children. That is how we, as good fathers, live on in our children.
Through the Mill 