Thank You Dad

You taught me how to throw a baseball and bat left-handed even though I threw right.   You never missed a game and always had feedback after practice.  I will never forget beating you in golf for the first time at the Georgetown Country Club.  I hit that small green on #9 and beat you by a stroke.  

You were always up for going to a game and sometimes even a double header.  On a trip to New York to see your family, we stopped in Cleveland and attended the MLB All Star Game.  One Saturday, we went to a golf major in Toledo and then the Tigers game that night.  

You purchased Michigan Football season tickets because you knew there wasn't anywhere in the world, I wanted to be more on a fall Saturday.   We spent hours in the Big House watching great and sometime not so great football.   The Michigan Football curse is you always remember the bad plays, over the great ones.  

You helped me buy my first car, a $300 1972 Plymouth Valiant with a slant 6.  It lasted about 3 months before it needed to be welded.  

As an adult, you always supported my career choices and really loved that I started this blog.   I learned how to be financially sound from you and enjoyed all the newspaper and magazine articles you sent me without any context in the regular mail.  In later years, you would call me when an internet pop-up came up asking for money.  

When I left Ann Arbor for a career choice, mom cried and asked why?  You smiled and told me congratulations.  

You did your best to be a good grandfather and was there any time I needed you.  When my daughter was born, I called you and you dropped everything and jumped in the car, drove 3 hours and got to my house as soon as you could to stay with my son.  

You always loved Ann Arbor and never wanted to leave.  We thought that moving somewhere warm would help your health but you had none of that.   You wanted to stay in Ann Arbor, eat at Knights, network with old friends, and be close to my sister.  

I'm grateful for the special Saturday we had last fall.  My son (who is now in college) and I traveled up to Ann Arbor and took you to the Northern Illinois game.   Your walk was more a shuffle and it was difficult to get to our seats.   Your hearing was poor, but we had a great time.   The game wasn't much of a game but we made a great memory.  Three generations enjoying what we all loved, Michigan Football.   

I will always remember your famous sayings like:

"You don't make decisions by indecision" 

"Nobody says on their death bed, I wish I spent more time at work"

"Can you please think before you act"

"If it's important to you son, you'll make the time"

Dad living for 81 years is a great run and I'm happy you will be reunited with your dad (who died when I was young), your mom, and brothers.   You're now in a place where your heart, kidney, hearing, and legs work the way they should.  Your memory and guidance will live with us for the rest of our lives.   

Love you, Dad.