Thinking of Bill Smith, my dad on "Dad's Day"

Well, once again Father's Day has arrived.  Someone once said that "everyday is Father's Day." Well, that may or may not be true but at least we have one day set aside where we honor fathers.  The picture above is of my dad and myself on July 4, 1942.  The next day he left for Camp Shelby, Mississippi for his basic training with the Army. He served in Europe and North Africa as a train dispatcher in a railroad battilion. (This was also his civilian job before and after the war) I'm happy to say he returned safe and sound in October 1945.   I feel I was blessed with a great dad.  Oh, there were times when his temper flared but I imagine it was due to my stubborness from time to time. Basically, he was pretty even tempered, he was kind, loving, honest, generous and thoughtful. He worked hard and always provided for the emotional and material needs of his family. And the most important...he really, really loved my mother.  "I have heard more than once that, that is the most important thing a dad can do for his children."   He was a devout Christian who served as a sunday school teacher, deacon & elder of his church and also served as a school board member of the Christian school started by their church. I don't remember ever hearing him and my mom fight ( I've checked with my brother on that one) they both always showed each other love & respect and the same to my brother and I.  After my mom passed away in October 1987, it was like part of him was gone, too.  He was with us until September 1990, long enough to see his oldest grand daughter married and even though he'd had a stroke and was very ill...we did constantly tell him that his first great-grandchild was due in April of 1991.  I will always be grateful for the blessing of having the mom and dad that God chose for me. On this special weekend, I want to also say Happy Father's Day to my brother, father to three beautiful grown daughters and to my son-in-law, father of my two wonderful grand children.  I know there are lots of dads, step dads & foster dads out there who will never receive the recognition they deserve, so my hat's off to them too !