Post by Tim Collins on Jun 20, 2010 7:46:29 GMT -7
My Dad was what almost anyone who knew him would call "quite the character".
He was born in 1926, making him 15 when WWII ended the Great Depression. He was one of 9 children, I think somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of birth order. His father was a traveling salesman for Gillette covering all of New England. Somehow they made it through the depression. I have no details as the stories from those days were few and far between. His mother was your stereotypical Boston Irish Catholic spouse. Stand by your family, go to church on Sunday, and see the good in everyone.
My Dad was definitely a man of contradictions. He insisted all his children receive an education. In fact he insisted we all attend Catholic Schools to make sure that education was pounded into us firmly. Yet, he was a devout Marxist and atheist.
He never went to college, perhaps because in 1942 or 1943 he "ran away from home" by signing up as a crewman on a merchant ship supplying the war effort in Europe. His degree was taken in the engine room of unarmed ships sailing across the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the islands of the Caribbean. It wasn't until I was in my mid-20's that I even heard many stories of his war days. Yet it was from those days, the depression days, and the struggles he endured in the post war days as he started his own family, that the lessons he taught me were formed.
What were those lessons? There were many, but these are the ones I hope I learned to his satisfaction.
"There are two kinds of knowledge in the world, Knowledge from college and knock around knowledge. If have to choose - skip college."
Thanks Dad, because of you I had the opportunity for both. I finished college because you made it a requirement in my mind and I did not want to disappoint you. Knock around knowledge, because even though it drove you crazy when I dropped out of college to enlist, your few tales of your war time travels inspired me to see the world live, before learning about it from books.
"There is only one thing you have that no one can take from you - your good name. NEVER break your word."
I hope those who know me agree; I do my best to honor this challenge. I know I try, simply because disappointing you would be a shame I could not carry.
"Family comes first; a father doesn't worry about his own needs or desires. He does what he needs to do to provide a better life for his family."
Dad, you never said the last one out loud. You lived it everyday, and I wanted you to know we all heard you loud and clear.
Rest in peace Dad, and know you left behind children who work everyday to live up to the standards you set by your own example.
He was born in 1926, making him 15 when WWII ended the Great Depression. He was one of 9 children, I think somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of birth order. His father was a traveling salesman for Gillette covering all of New England. Somehow they made it through the depression. I have no details as the stories from those days were few and far between. His mother was your stereotypical Boston Irish Catholic spouse. Stand by your family, go to church on Sunday, and see the good in everyone.
My Dad was definitely a man of contradictions. He insisted all his children receive an education. In fact he insisted we all attend Catholic Schools to make sure that education was pounded into us firmly. Yet, he was a devout Marxist and atheist.
He never went to college, perhaps because in 1942 or 1943 he "ran away from home" by signing up as a crewman on a merchant ship supplying the war effort in Europe. His degree was taken in the engine room of unarmed ships sailing across the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the islands of the Caribbean. It wasn't until I was in my mid-20's that I even heard many stories of his war days. Yet it was from those days, the depression days, and the struggles he endured in the post war days as he started his own family, that the lessons he taught me were formed.
What were those lessons? There were many, but these are the ones I hope I learned to his satisfaction.
"There are two kinds of knowledge in the world, Knowledge from college and knock around knowledge. If have to choose - skip college."
Thanks Dad, because of you I had the opportunity for both. I finished college because you made it a requirement in my mind and I did not want to disappoint you. Knock around knowledge, because even though it drove you crazy when I dropped out of college to enlist, your few tales of your war time travels inspired me to see the world live, before learning about it from books.
"There is only one thing you have that no one can take from you - your good name. NEVER break your word."
I hope those who know me agree; I do my best to honor this challenge. I know I try, simply because disappointing you would be a shame I could not carry.
"Family comes first; a father doesn't worry about his own needs or desires. He does what he needs to do to provide a better life for his family."
Dad, you never said the last one out loud. You lived it everyday, and I wanted you to know we all heard you loud and clear.
Rest in peace Dad, and know you left behind children who work everyday to live up to the standards you set by your own example.