My dad was always so proud of us six kids, and as I reflect back, I realize how proud I was of him. It’s been ten years since he’s been gone, but the legacy he left our family remains strong in our hearts and minds. He taught us to work hard for what we want, not to expect it to be handed to us. He taught us to stand up for what we believe in and to do our best in whatever we do. He was a patriot and loved his country.
One of my favorite memories of my dad was listening to him sing “Why Me, Lord?” at gospel singings in our small country church when we were kids. He enjoyed singing and playing the guitar. I would also always beg him to play and sing “The Auctioneer” song.
The deer horns from his biggest buck hang in my house. They remind me of how much he loved going deer hunting with my brothers and his friends. As he got older, it wasn’t so much the hunt as the great times they had sitting around the campfire and telling stories from years past.
I’ll never get the picture out of my mind of him working in his garden. He always took such pride in his garden and spent hours nurturing the plants. He enjoyed sharing his bountiful harvest with friends and neighbors.
Another favorite memory of mine was when he would come home from work right before the Christmas holidays with boxes and bags of fruit, nuts and candies from Soulard Market, in St. Louis. It was a special tradition for him. He loved the holidays and spending time with his family during the celebrations.
He had an undying love for our mother. He jokingly would call her “Chatty Kathy” because she was a more quiet person than he was. But for all who knew him, know the reason she was so quiet was because she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. My dad never met a stranger. He could strike up a conversation no matter where he was or whatever the circumstance. It usually turned out that he knew someone they knew or knew someone in the town they were from.
My dad loved his family very much and always strove to provide the best for us. Most of the material things he gave us are long gone, but the determination and will to succeed will continue throughout our lives and will be passed on to our children and grandchildren.
I miss him terribly, and as the years pass, the memories grow stronger and sweeter.
About Tammy Ballew
What an awesome tribute to your dad. And such a beautiful picture.
Lovely, Tammy. Your dad would be so proud of you for so many reasons.
Tammy;
My Dad passed on 8 years ago. My Mama joined him 4 years ago. Your article brought back a flush of memories. My Dad was a carpenter by trade so he worked a lot in the out of doors. He also grew the best 3 lb tomatoes I have ever seen. He loved to talk and seemed like he knew everyone. I miss hearing stories about him and his uncles on the old family farm. Every time I hear the song “Almost Home”, I think of my Dad and I know he is Home.
He said,”I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree
I was runnin’ from some honey bees
Drip dryin’ in the summer breeze
After jumpin’ into Calico creek
I was walkin’ down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man I wish you’d just left me alone
‘Cause I was almost home”
Thank you for the memories
Tanny – this piece you wrote made memories of my dad and his love of the outdoors, deer hunting, duck hunting – they all came back in a rush. How blessed were we that our dad’s were “good guys” and not what we read/hear about today in a never ending sordid story that mainstream media seems to latch on to. I know there are lots of other guys out there like our dad’s – I’m married to one of them and many of my gal pals (you & Barb are a few) are as well. I like to think that your dad and my dad read what we write, see our love of the outdoors and know that they “done good!”