Today would have been Dad’s 100th birthday. He was never really pointed at 100 to be honest. I think 17 year old Billy (#10) would have been surprised that he would make it to 74, almost 75. He died over 25 years ago but his presence is still everywhere. Boxes from Mom’s revealed matchboxes, new articles, greeting cards, London Transit hangers. Chester West sent me a picture of the Bill’s label inside of his vintage sport coat (Chester is also vintage).
Dad had lots of layers. As children, we didn’t know that he had a while life before us. He was 39 when I was born, 48 when he had our little brother. He graduated from HHS in 1944 at 18 and went straight to the Navy V-12 Program graduating from Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill in 1945. He met Mom in February 1959 according to legend so that’s 14 years. I still wish I had asked him more questions about that time.
Happy Heavenly 100th to Dad. Celebrating our nation’s 250th next year sort of puts that in perspective.
