The best Dad in the world

Father’s Day will be celebrated this weekend, on Sunday, June 16. I had forgotten all about it this year. I guess it is because my Dad passed away four years ago. He was born on September 28, 1928, and died on September 21, 2020. He was seven days shy of his 92nd birthday. Tuesday was when I realized that Father’s Day was this weekend – I have never forgotten, so this bothered me a little because my Dad, just like most dads, meant the world to me.

He was a third-generation newspaper owner and the owner and publisher of three other newspapers in Tennessee and Alabama. He owned and operated the first offset web printing facility in middle Tennessee and north Alabama.

He did a lot for his hometown, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. He was directly involved in the development of David Crockett State Park and played a significant role in building the county health department and airport. He and his father (Pops) started the Democrat-Union Cowbell football game in 1950. It was a game between two rival football teams, Lawrence and Giles County High Schools, to start the football season.

He graduated from Columbia Military Academy and the University of Tennessee, where he was president of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. During the Korean War, he served on the USS Perry DD844 destroyer, where he was a rescue swimmer and a U.S. Navy swim team member.

My Dad did so much during his lifetime. But, in my eyes, he was the best Dad ever.

He loved all seven of us so much – three boys and four girls. He was a motivator. He encouraged us always to try to make the right decisions because there are consequences to every decision we make.

He taught us to swim and had us all compete on the local swim team. My youngest sister, Teresa, held the fastest butterfly stroke time in Alabama at one time. He was so proud. I can’t say I ever set swim records, but when I did compete, my Dad was always there standing alongside the pool and cheering me on to the finish, when I did compete.

He took us camping, boating, and shopping. He taught us to enjoy life, love family, and always be there for our friends. I miss him dearly, and this Father’s Day, I keep the tradition living on to honor him.

I wish all the dads a great weekend — happy Father’s Day, young and old.