MEMORIES OF MY DAD

I was a truly blessed child. I had two parents that loved, cherished and cared for me. Tomorrow it will have been 11 years since I last held my dad. I miss him.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. As I grow older, I seem to understand my father much better. I can remember nights that he couldn't sleep. He would sit for hours in the living room and read the scriptures. At the time I didn't really think anything about it. Now I realize that he was probably stressed about how to support seven kids on a teachers salary and a business that did not necessarily always make money. I know that worry and I am sad that I never recognized his sacrifice for me. I wish I had understood that then.

I remember my dad eating bread and milk A LOT. Sometimes he would have a cucumber, stinky cheese, green onions or radishes with it. I thought it was a crappy meal but he seemed to absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I now realize that he grew up poor and that his mother probably fed bread and milk to my dad and aunt and uncles in order to put something in their stomachs when it was all that she had (there were 11 living kids!). I now know that bread and milk was his "comfort food" and took him back to a simpler time when he didn't have any worries other than if the cows were milked and it took him to a time when he felt absolutely, totally, completely safe and loved. (KFC does that for me) I wish I had understood that then.

I remember listening to the radio with my mom when dad was away coaching basketball. One night the announcer said "Coach DeWitt is really angry...you can tell because he is sitting on the bench with his legs crossed!!" My mom and I really laughed at that. My dad loved sports his entire life. He kept time at the football games, coached basketball and was always involved in athletics at good old PHS. He taught me in Science in High School. He would never answer me if I called him "Dad" only if I called "Mr. DeWitt". I now understand that was so that he didn't show me any favoritism. I wish I had understood that then.

I remember when I first learned to drive and wrecked BOTH DOORS of our brand new EL Camino. I went to his class to tell him. He just looked at me and said "well, things happen". He showed great restraint and a lot of love that day. I now know how hard that was for him. I wish I had understood that then.

When my father was dying his Church leader (Stake President) came to see him. Dad didn't know he was there. President Judd took me and mom aside and said "I feel inspired to tell you something. Patriarch DeWitt (he ALWAYS called him that) is at peace, he is not in pain, he is resting well. The Lord had plans for him on the other side and God is giving him this time to rest before he calls him home." I don't know how or what you believe in...but it was comforting to think that the Lord was watching over my father. He was the kindest, most gentle, compassionate, giving person that ever set foot on this earth and I have truly been blessed to be his daughter. I miss him every day. I hope he knows that.