One of the many goofy teases Dad used when we were kids was to never remember our ages. He knew them all, of course, but would increase or lower our age to support his ruling as a parent.
“Stay up to watch Star Trek? But you’re only six years old – that’s way past your bedtime!”
Uh, I was eight, nine, and ten at the time the original series ran. When I got caught peaking down the stairs, my true age was calculated and I was granted a seat in front of the set.
Back in the mid-1960s, when you were taught to sit very far away from the television. Note the Encyclopedia Britannica set on the shelves, ready for our intellectual exploration.
The year Dad turned 39, I gave him a joke book titled Now that you’re 40 … He howled with laughter when he opened it.
She’d already started fussing several months ago about how to outdo the parade for his 91st birthday. But this year, his cake will be heaped with extra butter-cream frosting. It’ll be calorie-free, too, so he can have two generous slices. That’s how it works in heaven, right?
To celebrate Dad on his special day, here is a photo timeline from over the years:
Dad’s birth announcement from 1930.
Oh, those cheeks! Circa 1931.
Heading for a swim with sister Jean, circa 1934. That’s their grandpa George Vayo in the background, with Aunt Evelyn halfway in the car.
Snazzy dresser! Circa 1942.
Winner of Boys State in Connecticut and heading to Washington, DC for Boys Nation in 1946.
Courting Joan Cassidy, his future wife.They were wed on November 4, 1952.
Their first child – Harry – arrived just one day after Dad’s birthday in 1955.
Dad carrying Dave back home in August 1958 after the toddler decided to go exploring. This was just a few months after I was born.
Walking his only daughter down the aisle in 1982. Dad knew I’d chosen well.
Another wedding! This one was for Dad and Mom’s youngest, Bill, to marry his beloved Barbara in 1995.
Dad delighted in his right – and rite – as grandpa in giving each grandchild his or her first taste of chocolate. This is our John in 1992 at Dad’s parents’ house in Lowell, Massachusetts.Me: “Dad! What are you doing?!”
With four children and seven grandchildren, Dad and Mom welcomed their first great-grandchild – John’s son, Cameron – in 2012. Three more great-grandsons have been born to Becky and Nick in the past several years.This is from 1979. Mom gave Dad his very own “Christmas Goose” that year. Three decades later, their first great-grandson would call their only daughter “Goose” instead of Grandma. Not quite Disney’s version of the circle of life, but that’ll do. That’ll do just fine.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to all of us during these difficult weeks. No matter how sad we all feel for ourselves, we take great comfort knowing Dad and Mom are together again, as they were always meant to be.
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