10 Years

It's hard to believe that my dad passed away 10 years ago tomorrow.  Today would be my parents' 66th wedding anniversary. I made this altered book in about 2005 or so, to help me work through my grief.

The lyrics at the bottom are from the Dave Matthews Band song, "The Dreaming Tree".  I love the song but it makes me cry every time I hear it.

Dad's on the left, mom on the right.  They thought they were invited to a costume party at their beach house, hosted by my cousins. So dad put on a wig and one of my mom's pant suits (how 70s), and they got some huge orange and pink sunglasses.  Not sure where mom got the shirt but she's wearing a captain's hat.  We arrived at the beach house and they were shocked to find out they misunderstood the invitation.  Hilarity ensued.

Dad used to perform in the annual Lions Club Minstrel Show.  He was a member of the main chorus and often sang a solo (as seen on the left, he was singing 'Baby Face').  He got great pleasure out of dressing in drag for the Flora Dora Girls.  I always laugh at the unfortunate flash bulb reflection on his balloon boobs.  

He always took me to see the Red Sox.

He marched in many town parades as part of the Lions Club.

At the airport when our 3 week trip to California commenced in August, 1988.

I got this note when I got a raise at Channel 56.

The last time I saw him in April, 2003.

Happy Father's Day Dad. I Miss You.

A few years ago, I made this little remembrance book as a tribute to my beloved father, who passed away on June 23, 2003.

He was born in 1922, in Georgetown, British Guiana in South America. He, his brother Frank and sister Stella were orphans.

Dad became a US citizen when he was 19 and joined the army. He was wounded in Italy in WW2 and received a purple heart.

Daddy's little girl.

I have a hard time listening to "The Dreaming Tree" by Dave Matthews without weeping at the lyrics quoted on this panel.

Dad's the groovy chick in the pant suit at our beach house.

He used to perform in the Lions Club Minstrel Show each year, in the chorus, singing a solo and also as a Flora Dora Girl. He loved that skit the best. Note the unfortunate flash marks on his balloon boobs. Mom made his Flora Dora costumes.

He took me to see my beloved Red Sox.

Always civic-minded, he proudly volunteered to march in town parades as a Lions Club member.
Then there was the time I dragged him all over Northern California for 3 weeks in the summer of 1988, the year before I moved there.

We had a great time.

I found this note when he found out I got a raise at Channel 56.

This is the last time I saw him alive. He was undergoing radiation for aggressive lung cancer. Diagnosed in February, gone by June.