My beloved father. Dad was born at home, on a farm, to Lem and Pauline. His family lived across the road from one grandfather and down the road from the other grandfather, surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. When he was a very small boy his mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis, probably caught while nursing her brother until he died from the disease. The family moved to Denver, CO, to get her to drier air, where Dad grew up. At age 12 he returned to MO to live with his aunt for a year. At age 17 he convinced his sister to sign his enlistment papers so he could join the Navy to serve in WWII, knowing his father would not have given permission for him to go before he was of legal age. He was a medic attached to the Marines in the South Pacific, serving in hellish conditions amid brutal fighting. He developed a severe form of malaria and spent the last year of his tour of duty hospitalized in New Zealand.
After college, Dad found his way into construction, ultimately becoming a general superintendent. He worked on projects across the US, with Mom traveling with him after we kids were grown. Dad and Mom eventually bought land in the Colorado mountains where Dad built their house and they lived there happily for nearly 40 years. Dad loved fishing, hiking and gardening, continually building more and more gardens around their home. He loved telling jokes, and his many friends and family remember him for his quick wit and laughter. Dad loved his flower gardens, planting both cultivated flower beds and hillsides with wildflowers. He and Mom always made sure they had flowers that would attract hummingbirds. He loved to fish although he gave it up when Mom's arthritis got too bad to accompany him. He was devoted to his wife and children, and is deeply loved and missed.
After college, Dad found his way into construction, ultimately becoming a general superintendent. He worked on projects across the US, with Mom traveling with him after we kids were grown. Dad and Mom eventually bought land in the Colorado mountains where Dad built their house and they lived there happily for nearly 40 years. Dad loved fishing, hiking and gardening, continually building more and more gardens around their home. He loved telling jokes, and his many friends and family remember him for his quick wit and laughter. Dad loved his flower gardens, planting both cultivated flower beds and hillsides with wildflowers. He and Mom always made sure they had flowers that would attract hummingbirds. He loved to fish although he gave it up when Mom's arthritis got too bad to accompany him. He was devoted to his wife and children, and is deeply loved and missed.
My beloved father. Dad was born at home, on a farm, to Lem and Pauline. His family lived across the road from one grandfather and down the road from the other grandfather, surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. When he was a very small boy his mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis, probably caught while nursing her brother until he died from the disease. The family moved to Denver, CO, to get her to drier air, where Dad grew up. At age 12 he returned to MO to live with his aunt for a year. At age 17 he convinced his sister to sign his enlistment papers so he could join the Navy to serve in WWII, knowing his father would not have given permission for him to go before he was of legal age. He was a medic attached to the Marines in the South Pacific, serving in hellish conditions amid brutal fighting. He developed a severe form of malaria and spent the last year of his tour of duty hospitalized in New Zealand.
After college, Dad found his way into construction, ultimately becoming a general superintendent. He worked on projects across the US, with Mom traveling with him after we kids were grown. Dad and Mom eventually bought land in the Colorado mountains where Dad built their house and they lived there happily for nearly 40 years. Dad loved fishing, hiking and gardening, continually building more and more gardens around their home. He loved telling jokes, and his many friends and family remember him for his quick wit and laughter. Dad loved his flower gardens, planting both cultivated flower beds and hillsides with wildflowers. He and Mom always made sure they had flowers that would attract hummingbirds. He loved to fish although he gave it up when Mom's arthritis got too bad to accompany him. He was devoted to his wife and children, and is deeply loved and missed.
After college, Dad found his way into construction, ultimately becoming a general superintendent. He worked on projects across the US, with Mom traveling with him after we kids were grown. Dad and Mom eventually bought land in the Colorado mountains where Dad built their house and they lived there happily for nearly 40 years. Dad loved fishing, hiking and gardening, continually building more and more gardens around their home. He loved telling jokes, and his many friends and family remember him for his quick wit and laughter. Dad loved his flower gardens, planting both cultivated flower beds and hillsides with wildflowers. He and Mom always made sure they had flowers that would attract hummingbirds. He loved to fish although he gave it up when Mom's arthritis got too bad to accompany him. He was devoted to his wife and children, and is deeply loved and missed.
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