remembering my Dad
8.31.1930 - 5.26.2014
that's me with my Dad somewhere in the fall of 1952
but let's go back - he had a life before me
October 1930
at the top - he's the seven year old boy peeping over his Dad's shoulder
his mom, my grandmother (and a saint by the way) is on the far right
on Dad's left is his grandmother and grandfather and his sister, Martha
to the right he is the little one with his sister and mom
he is with his parents in Florida about 1937
our family was all about fishing
they started going up to Sault Ste. Marie since before my Dad was born
top left he is with his mom, bottom right is his dad
we went up north and or to Florida every year I was growing up
I can't tell you how many pictures I have of family members with dead fish
Dad was a handsome young man
my parent's met in high school
he was the captain of the football team and she was the queen of the prom
(and also a saint by the way....)
the Daubner luck
Dad went into the service out of high school
he was mostly stationed in Germany and he played basketball for the army
he said he loved the military
(he also won enough at poker to buy a car and a fancy set of German dishes
for my mom.....)
he always said we had the Daubner Luck
I guess I did - look at those cute parents
I can't get over how young he looked....
he had cool cars - he use to stand me up beside him in the convertible
it was Detroit the 50's it was all about the cars
Dad, as did his dad before him,
worked in the tool and die industry building cars
he was a fun dad, we always got the hotel with the pool
and he had as much fun as we did
we were a great threesome
then add my brother - 1960
I could not imagine life without now - he is/was and incredible gift
super cute too
top left - my brother with my Dad's dad
that was out ski boat, Dad taught us all to ski
bottom right, parents, grandparents and brother about 1965
my first prom 1967
Mom and Dad look so young
1979 their first grandson
they came all the way out to northern California to the 100 acres
we lived on
Dad loved it, he went to town and bought me a new ax
first one grandson, then another in 1981
and a granddaughter in 1984
this is Port Townsend 1986
and in Florida April 1995 - they loved the kids and were wonderful grandparents
they LOVED Florida too and
moved down from Michigan in 1997
Dad in his classic Florida mode
sitting on the porch watching the kids swim in the pool
he was having trouble walking then but
Dad walked me down the isle in my 1995 wedding in Port Townsend
(my only wedding - yeah I know)
this is one of my most favorite photos of Dad and I
still looking good at my brother's wedding 1999
next thing you know he is a great-grandpa! in 2002
their 60th wedding anniversary December 31, 2009
yep, married on New Year's Eve
the second great-grandbaby born on their
60th anniversary!!
Mom's 80th birthday - May 2010
the gang May 2010
their grown up grandson came to visit 2011
grandpa was so happy
the 3rd great-grand child October 2011 and was named after my mother
mom died the next summer - 2012
there are so many stories I could tell about my Dad
that he was a really good golfer, pool player and poker player
he loved the casino and he really was lucky
check out these 2 photos
first 1999
he is 2nd from the left
still winning every tournament he ever entered
and then 40 years earlier
Vegas
Dad is 2nd from the right
the man on the far left and far right are guys I have known all my life
they are still both living near where Dad lived in Florida
and
they still have something they call "the Daubner" at the country club in Detroit
he was also a very good dad, he was fun, generous and honest
he was always there for me - always, and I knew he loved me
in the end he went fast
one week he was in the hospital, the next the nursing home for rehab
he wanted no rehab, he was tired
comfortable and out of pain for the first time in a long time
one week later we put him on hospice
he lived only one more week
he died the way he lived, with enthusiasm, bravery and in control
I love you Dad and I am so proud of you, oh and
give my love to mom, grandma and Thomas for me would you - thanks
xxoo
Lovely pictures, Deborah. As time goes by, you'll notice that thoughts of your dad will always make you smile and feel good. That's how it is for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat great photos and memories you have about your dad. Aren't we lucky to have had such great fathers, ones we remember with love, humor, thanksgiving. I feel the same about my father, who was taken far too soon, far too young. This just makes the time we had with him all the more precious. He's been gone for 35 years and I think of him every day, as in, "Oh Daddy would have loved this!"
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