Tuesday, July 9, 2024
My Dad showed me so much love through actions; teaching me to ride the Snowrunner, snowmobiles, 3 and 4 wheelers (against my Mom's wishes), motorcycles, Sprees. He taught me about "cheatboxes", RC cars, fishing, health foods, tortillas, basketball, badmitten, ping pong, slot cars, small engines, bicycles, flea markets. He sent me those "Democrat support checks" in college that I reluctantly cashed. He like to spoil me and his other kids with nice clothes and shoes. I always felt I had a safety net with my Dad. I remember riding in the numerous cars that my Dad would always be buying including the big F450, Ranger, Datsun 280Z including the race with the Probe on I-75 when we stopped about ~130 MPH, the black spray-painted Chevette with hot pink trim and windshield wipers, the Chevette-truck made with a Zaw-Zaw. He took me for many scary rides on the back of the FZ750 where I thought for sure I was going to lose my grip on his leather jacket and fall off. He teased me until I rode his Hayabusa. We moved from Hipp St Dearborn Heights to 3rd Street Carleton Michigan. After I graduated high school, Dad was still always on the look out for good deals so I stayed with him in the summer in Monroe.
My Dad was a big kid. Kids were drawn to him by his playfulness, spoiling, and witty humor. He was the cool grandpa that would give the kids money snacks at the party store.
He was loyal to his family again as evidenced by his actions. He stood by his brother Tom through the worst of times by taking Tom for days and weeks at a time. He visited my grandmother Kate every weekend. He took my sister Lenae in.
For those closest to him, he made his expectations known - always challenging us to be better.
He enjoyed helping people be successful when taking first steps - from buying stocks from my friend when he was starting out as a sales agent, buying products from friends, throwing jobs to those in need of money, or sending me money in college.
When I moved to Dayton we didn't see each other as often but he would leave me hilarious voicemail messages. When I visited he always had big genuine hugs.
