Day 6- A Tribute to Daddy

Daddy and his Girls!

"A Tribute to Daddy"

Written by Judith, November 17, 2009 for my Daddy's Memorial Service

Daddy, I remember that you were always available to me. From the ages of 0-14 years old, I imprinted on you like a baby duck to its mother. I followed you everywhere. I tried to do everything that I saw you do. Whenever I walked into a room, I remember how your face lit up and you always had a look that said, " What did I do to deserve her love?" Daddy, I noticed your smile, your hard and tireless work, your sicknesses, your fears, your joys, your sorrows, and even your dreams. Daddy I noticed all of these things in you because I know that you noticed all of these things in me. You gave me support, you gave me confidence, and you gave me advice about being a successful woman. I remember when you used to take me shopping for clothes. I remember when I was about 11 years old, we went to Sears to buy clothes for me. I picked up a dress for church but the back was cut out. I said, "Daddy, this is the one I want." He looked down, turned his head, and smiled. Then he said, "Baby, that's not the kind of dress you want to wear." I said, "Why Daddy?" He said, "When a woman wears clothes like that she attracts the wrong kind of man. The kind of man that WILL NOT respect her and the kind of man that might hurt her. In other words, he WILL NOT see how beautiful she really is because she is showing too much."

Daddy, I remember you were a fearless protector. Whether it was a mouse, a bug, a garden snake, or a beast, when I called for my Daddy he just seemed to instantly appear and kill whatever it was that tried to hurt me.

I thought of an acronym using my Daddy's first name, JAMES.

J- stands for JOVIAL because he always liked funny stories and he found the humor in lots of things. Life in general really made him laugh.

A-stands for ADAMANT because my Daddy was a very determined man. One of his favorite lines was, "Once I make a decision, that's it!"

M-MASCULINE OR MANLY. He was a renaissance man. He cooked for his family, cleaned house, he worked outside of the home, he sewed, he fixed cars, he fought and he cried. He was always manly in all that he did. He believed that a man should take care of his responsibilities by providing for his family, friends, and loved ones emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

E-ENDURING. He was born with Epilepsy but he NEVER let his illness or illnesses define or stop him. While working, he had a seizure and four of the fingers on his right hand were severed......BUT HE NEVER GAVE UP. He never said, I do not want to work because I lost the fingers on my right hand, in fact, he went right back to work to support his wife and four children.

S-SYMPATHETIC. My Daddy was caring and giving even when his kindness cost him time or pain to his own body. He often mowed his neighbors lawns because he wanted them to have beautiful lawns, just like ours.