It is my Dad’s birthday today – Vernon Arnold DeFor – February 16, 1921 – he would have been 88 years old today. In late October he will have been dead for 50 years – that is a long time.
I am thankful for him. He was a kind and gentle man even though he was a big man. He was fun to be around.
I think of how fortunate I am for a number of things. I have seen my kids grow into adulthood – Dad did not get to see that. I am proud of all of my kids as adults. I have seen them get married and have kids. He would have had so much fun with his grandkids, and he would have been good with them. I know that I have the most handsome and pretty grandchild – they are smart and nice too.
I guess I have thought about him more since Mom is gone. When she married Ray I struggled with some one else replacing my Dad. Ray did not do that – he was very good for Mom, but never my Dad.
I am going to go out to the cemetery this afternoon and put a flower on his grave and talk to him – thanking him for being my Dad. I hope that does not sound too weird. I had him for too short a time.