Forty years ago the lives of my family came to a screeching halt. We were in shock for some time. It takes a lot of healing to learn to lead a normal life after the husband and father in a family is suddenly lost. It takes time to learn to move through the routine things and think again about the future. It takes a lot of help from others as when you are in the middle of grief you really cannot think straight.
Much time has passed since that day when our lives were turned upside down. Remembering the man who was my husband and the father of my children brings me to want to express what kind of man we are talking about. Here are some facts.
He served his country in Europe during World War II. Upon returning to the states he enrolled in college at Eastern Ky. State. When he had finished his schooling there he and I were married and both of us began teaching in Kentucky. He continued in school after that first year of teaching. After three summers of nothing but study he graduated from Peabody College in Nashville Tennessee with a masters degree. This was part of our plan for our lives together. He would complete his schooling and we gave ourselves five years before settling down to having our family. He found employment in the state of Maryland and then our plan continued to work. Since teaching was not bringing in enough money to live as well as he wanted for his family he found work in the business world. As the years passed other opportunities became available for work. He and I discussed moving our family to another state in order for him to take a new job. We sold our home and moved the family to Georgia. We had only lived in Georgia for one year and four months when our plan as we knew it came to a finish.
Without his counsel I had to take on the job of single parent. My children and I had a good solid base for continuing in the same pattern because of his character and integrity. He took his job of father very seriously. His children and I were foremost in his mind always. When he was away from home he called us every night. He carried a picture of his children with him wherever he went. He was always thinking of them and what he could do to make our family strong. He succeeded and because of his strength and love for us we were able to rebuild our lives in the knowledge that we were continuing what he had planned for us.
Much has changed in our individual lives but one thing remains constant, that is our love and concern for each other. I know he would be pleased that we are carrying on the concern and love which he showed for us.
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