Remembering my dad

Today marks 25 years since my dad died. When you are growing up, you focus on the rules at home and what your parents allow you — or don't allow you — to do. You don't think much about your parents and your childhood in a more broad sense until you are a lot older. Which is to say, I did not realize what good parents — and what an idyllic childhood I had — until I was long out of college and heard the stories of other people's childhoods. 

My parents had four daughters and my dad was very supportive of us and made sure we all went to college so we could support ourselves and not have to depend on someone else to do so. Though we all married, I think none of us rushed into marriage since we indeed could manage on our own. That resulted in marriages that are still going strong. 

My dad with his younger brother, Jerry sometime in the 1920s. 

My dad (right) with his brothers Jerry (left) and Bill. Their oldest brother, James, died of pneumonia the year before. 

My dad served on destroyers in the US Navy during WWII. His first ship, the USS Long Island, took part in the battles of Midway and the Guadalcanal. 

My parents with all of us girls in a family portrait in the late 1950s.

Comments

[Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening]

Thank you for sharing him with us.

[hb]

This is BEAUTFUL! Thank you Linda for telling us about your father and sharing the photos. A Dad who believed in education for all his girls--a Dad to be very, very proud of. And he must have been very proud of his girls!

It is only lately I better understand my own Dad, who was orphaned as a boy in the depths of the Great Depression and had a cold, hungry time of it. He never grew very tall because of malnutrition, and never mentioned his suffering once, ever to his daughters.

As time passes we can put ourselves in the context of our family's and country's history--there is wisdom to be found in that.

[Kristin]

Such a lovely legacy from your good father. We were just discussing good parenting with friends last night, and what a huge difference it makes in the lives of children. Not to get political on Christmas Eve, but people who don't want to have children should not be made to have children. Merry Christmas to you and Mark!

[Linda Brazill]

hb —Thanks for your lovely remarks.

[Linda Brazill]

KRISTIN — Mark and I got married at age 41 and decided it was too late to have children; a decision we were happy with. As a result our nieces and nephews have gotten advice, loans, and all kinds of support that we were able to give since we didn't have kids of our own.

[danger garden]

That family portrait is a treasure. You are so right about not realizing how good we have it as kids until you encounter others who do not. This post, and the one on your Christmas sister have me so glad I was able to spend time with my family (mom and brothers, we lost my dad in '22) over the holiday.