On the 8th of November during the early morning hours my father fell asleep in Jesus. On November the 12th as I flew across the oceans to America for his memorial service I wrote this list of 101 things about dad.
Determined Daddy
100 Thoughts and Words that describe Dad.
1) Determination, 2) work, 3) soul winner, 4) Harmonica, 5) chainsaw, 6) Gardener, 7) Physical therapists, 8) Loved God's word, 9) disciplinarian by clearing throat., 10) Bible Study, 11) Literature, 12) Massage, 13) Sweet Tooth, 14), Provider, 15) Bigger is better, 16) all or non, 17) Loved clogging, 18) In younger years: Swimmer, skiing, running, biking, football, basketball, ping-pong, baseball, hiker, chineese checkers. 19). took the queen mattress when camping and the frig to camp meeting, 20) hated travel, 21) Loved Mom, 22) sweet and condensed milk. 23) shouted “Rat-a-lee” (when mom was talking long on the phone). (Mom’s first and middle name rhyme Loretta Leigh) 24) back pain, 25) when dad was awake so was the rest of the world. 26) drove fast, 27) stuffed mental pain, 28) Prayer warrior, 29) List maker, 30) singer, 31) prison ministry, 32) distrusted mechanics, 33) when dad was done talking so were you, 34) told you what he thought, 35) the final word, 36) if he wrote a letter you were usually in trouble. 37) If he wrote a letter that wasn't because of being in trouble -- frame it. 38) Loved supersized vegetables from his own garden: pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes, 39) Dallas Cowboys, 40) in younger years he seemed to feel guilty when doing nothing. 41) Loved his recliner, 42) loved telling stories. 43) loved to share how God had used him. 44) Lay man of the year in Oklahoma, 45) has a shed full of lumber that he was going to use one day and the whole time we knew he couldn't possibly use it because it is crooked as a dogs hind leg. 46) personally logged 8 acres of pines and sawed them for "one day" 47) hated to throw anything away, 48) was always going to make a card catalogue for his shop “one day”, 49) sometimes came back 4 or 5 times to get something he forgot. 50) Thus his philosophy was take everything you think you might need to a project site and then some. 51). Had to have absolute silence to study. 52) Made straight A's, 53) graduated the top of his class at LLU. 54). broke his collar bone swinging on a vine in the woods, 55) usually broke a rib right before vacation. 56.) coughed a lot. 57) photogenic, 58) loved to scare someone with his sudden sneeze, 59). If he caught a snake he just had to pet it right over the head of mom, 60) Had a passion to help. 61) When dad had a vision to do something rarely did he stop until it was whipped into shape. 62). If we got a spanking at school we got one at home too. 63) jump roped until he was in his 60's. 64) was frustrated when you did something a different way than what he was sure was the best way, 65) Was best approached through mom. 66) Always wanted irrigation for his garden, 67). Loved to talk about cotton picking comparing old days and modern machinery, 68). when I was a boy he’d say, "Darron hold this board while I nail it." then when I could hardly hold it any longer he'd say. "Hold it for another hour." 69) If you were taking too long in the bathroom he'd knock on the door and say, "Tie it to a rafter and run off and leave it." 70) If he used your full name you were definitely in big time trouble, 71) was proud of me. 72) If you didn't get in the car by the time Dad was ready to go the horn was going to start beeping. 73) When Dad headed for the car on Sabbath morning you'd better grab everything you'll need and jump in because if not he'd start going and make you chase him down. 74) if we kids argued while on a road trip he make us run for 1/2 mile on the side of the road. Usually we were so dead tired from the run that wining an argument was forgotten after that. 75) If you didn't have the chores done by the time Dad came home for supper you'd miss supper. 76) Loved to say "Amen" and "Praise the Lord." in church. 77) As a kid I loved playing "position" with Dad. I could put his hands and body in any position I wanted to. We'd die laughing while he held that position until we moved him to another crazy position. 78) snored but he “wasn't sleeping”, 79) Almost always wore a dark mask to sleep with during the day in his recliner. 80) Always had a need to go somewhere in the mud and would get stuck right after a heavy rain. 81) Believed in a good hug and smooch from mom every morning before he left and when he returned from work, 82) Always knelt to pray with the family before going to work. 83) Always had a short worship at the end of the day with the family as we were growing up. 84) Played 3ABN too loud until recently. 85) Loved to recount his football career, 86) Always kicked death in the teeth until this time. 87) Loved his 1930 something Model T Ford that was his first car that could barely go 44 miles an hour. 88) Was able to whip any teenager that came against him when he was boys Dean at Pine Forrest Academy, 89) help a possum over mom's head when she was 8 months pregnant with Mike. 90) Ran a mile in 4:54 seconds his senior year in high school. 91) Was born the second son to a teenage mother. 92) was a Navy mans son. 93) loved to brag that his Dad was never beaten as a boxer in the US Navy until he wanted to retire. 94) loved to hike to the top of a mountain faster than everyone and when they arrived he say, "well its about time you got here. Are you ready to go?" 95) Cut the winters wood every winter for as long as I can remember. 96) Never used bad words. 97) despised cigarettes and alcohol. 98) Was determined to sell Slick 50 to everyone during the early 80's even the Ambulance driver when he was knocked out after the swinging grape vine broke on the farm. 99) When he found Christ he was determined to bring everyone else with him. 100) was a great example.
August 1958 on Wedding Day. . . Back when Dad stood taller than mom by a full head.
Dad (Left) as a young Physical Therapist in Ardmore Oklahoma where I was born.
A random page from 1 of Dads bibles.
The well used cover of Dad’s study Bible.
