Sunday, June 17, 2007

Father's Day

A day to honor fathers. It has been 23 years since I bid farewell to my Dad and it is easy to miss him on days like today. He was a great guy and I wish that you all could have known him better.

Dad had the very old fashioned name, "Horace Milton". It was his father's name and he was proud of it. Most people called him Milt but there were some that called him Jack. Dad had a great sense of humor, loved to be the center of attention, he had a great mind and could argue very successfully on a myriad of subjects. Although he left school early, I remember my father as an educated man.

After he was diagnosed with cancer, we spent a weekend together and we talked. I asked him to recount the times in his life when he had been most happy. I didn't know what to expect but was surprised that the most prolonged happy time in his life was the time he spent in the army. Dad was quick to enlist at the beginning of the 2nd war and was overseas from 1939, returned home for officer's training in 1942 and 43, returned to England until late 1946. (I think.)


Milt and Pat in downtown Calgary, circa 1946.

I miss my Dad, can still conjure up the feeling of his whiskery face. Dad used to kiss me goodbye, it embarrassed me as a youth but remains a choice memory. Happy Father's Day Dad.